The Crimson Maiden
by S Prime
Summary: What if Zero was a girl? What repercussions would this have on the path that our legendary hero took? Read it to find out.
1. The Day of Sigma Part 1

Here it is, my second piece of work. Megaman X Reloaded is basically a recollection of all the events that happened during the Megaman X series that involved Zero, the whole point of this series is resumed in one single sentence: "What would have happened if Zero had been a girl?". Of course, none of the characters, beyond the fictive ones, belong to me. Hence, all of the characters in the Megaman X series belong to Capcom. Before we get started, I would like to give to all of you a definition of three complex terms that are common within the Megaman X universe.

**_Reploids_**: The reploids are a breed of robots that are able to think and feel by themselves, like humans do; which also opened the possibility of reploids going criminal or rebelling against the humans. The name reploid comes from the fact that they were created when a human scientist named Dr. Cain tried to replicate a robot named X, whom he had found on an old archeological site, but was unable to do it properly; so he opted for an alternate form of robots, hence reploids or imperfects. They are often built with a purpose or theme in mind and they come in the most diverse of kinds.

**_Mavericks_**: A maverick or an irregular if you prefer, is a reploid or mechaniloid whose flaws has been exploited, which makes him no longer able to think rationally and occasionally displays a very violent behavior. Though, there have been several cases when a reploid went maverick as a conscious choice or because of political divergence with the current government.

**_Mechaniloids_**: A mechaniloid is a machine-like robot that was created with a very special task in mind; their purpose is usually to handle menial tasks for the humans, such as repairs, construction and many other tasks. The mechaniloids, unlike the reploids, are unable to think for himself and can also be reprogrammed.

**_Maverick Hunters_**: The Hunters primary duty is to ensure the humans safety by dealing with the treat known as Mavericks. They are expected to dispose of every mavericks that are found and protect the city from them. So far, they have been able to stop most of the disturbance caused by the mavericks, though, with the recent increases in incidents involving mavericks; it is unlikely that the Hunters will be able to handle them all.

I would like to inform you however, that this particular Fan Fiction shall be tainted by what I consider to be truly cannon of what happened during each games. Therefore, there might be a few divergences between this and the original plot, along with the change caused by Zero gender in this Fiction.

As for this current chapter, I won't lie about it; it is merely a recollection of the OVA named "The Day of Sigma" that give the proper background to the first Megaman X. Well, here we go; I hope you will enjoy it.

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Chapter One

The Day of Sigma (Part 1)

Able City, near a destroyed building…

It was in the morning when the Hunters had been informed about a berserk mechaniloid that had caused a disturbance in the particular sector; a red female reploid was fighting the mechaniloid along with a few Hunters of her own squad. This particular reploid wore a helmet that was red on the sides and that rose in two pointed ends on the back of her head, it was white above her head and a blue gem could be seen on her forehead, under which her deep green eyes could be seen; also, from behind her helmet, a ponytail of long blond hairs was also falling on her back. Her shoulders were white and a golden stylized "Z" could be seen on her right one. Two green gems, that were actually her power cores, could be seen on each sides of her upper chest. Her body held a sense of gracefulness and confidence as she was staring at the mechaniloids that was before her. The large machine lashed her pincers at her squad and was ready to send them to an early death. She ordered her Hunters to evade the pincers that were dangerously close to them, they all managed to land safely away from the berserk mechaniloid.

**Very good Zero.** Said a tall bald reploid, that was safely standing away from the battle that was going on. This particular reploid wore a green breastplate, from which two long black arms sprouted, a collar with spikes could be seen above each of his forearms. His lower body was black in color except for his brown boots that were also adorned with spikes on the upper part. This reploid had dark blue eyes and a very prominent jaw; a red circular gem was on his forehead. The reploid referred to as Zero, saw something in the sky that caught her attention.

**_Huh?_** Quizzically said the female reploid as a strong blast of blue energy fell down on the mechaniloid.

The tall reploid smirked and spoke. **Chill Penguin Company. Commence operation.**

A black penguin-like robot, that was standing beside him, swiftly replied. Roger! I'll secure the area! This particular breed of robot was made with an animal schematic in mind, he wore two red tanks on his back that were connected to his head with the help of two metallic tubes. Suddenly, the mechaniloid rose from the rubbles that had fallen on his head as a result from the blast. Whaaaat?! The things hardly damaged. The machine used her large pincers to catch a Hunter that was too close to her and severed him in half. WHAAAATTT?! Stop that thing!

The tall reploid, that seemed to be the commanding officer, activated his communication system and asked. **Zero, do you have a fix on the main generator?**

The giant mechaniloid turned around to face the red reploid that was on his flank and sent her whole squad flying in the rubles, only Zero managed to get out of the way safely. **_It's no good commander, this thing's too fast, I can't get any closer._**

The giant machine took one of the wounded within her third scissor-like prehensile pincer and threw him at the Chill Penguin crew. The penguin-like reploid fired an icy projectile at the mechaniloid legs and managed to immobilize it, his Hunters began to ties it on the ground with ropes. Unfortunately, the thing broke free and began firing lasers on the nearby Hunters who were instantly destroyed, the machine then grabbed another Hunter that had carelessly approached it. _Help! Help me!_ Shouted the terrified Hunter.

A blue reploid, that was of a lighter shade of blue on his unarmored parts, appeared on the sides and sent two blasts of energy at the strange contraption wheels. He had light green eyes above which a large red gem slightly glowed from a faint light, an arm cannon could be seen on his right arm. But the shots hadn't helped at all, as the machine managed to force him to move back from it. On the other side, the female reploid fired a charged buster shot at the mechaniloid leg, creating a large burning hole on its left leg. **_I won't let you push my friends around like that! _**The mechaniloid temporarily stopped and seemed to be shacking.

Hit it! The generator! The machine was moving in a strange manner, still holding her hostage within her pincer, that strangely enough, was just before its generator. The blue reploid hesitated. The generator X! Shoot the generator! X seemed to hesitate once more as he saw the hostage madly trying to get out. X! Hurry!

The commander arrived from nowhere and sliced both the hostage arm and the mechaniloid generator with his beam saber. It fell and crashed on the ground, all of the Hunters looked at the scene in disbelief. Zero wiped her brow as she was letting out a sigh of relief, then, she noticed that X was talking with the commander and decided to see if he was ok. As she arrived, the commander and X had finished their little chat and the commander gave orders to clean up this mess. Zero putted her hand on X shoulder, who then sighed…

---

Maverick Hunters Heaquarter…

Both X and Zero entered the command room together and X was involved in a talk with her. **Maverick? What could cause someone to go maverick anyway?**

The female reploid took her usual stance when she had to elaborate on evidences. **_Program errors, short circuits in the electronic brain. The very things that give us reploids our advanced processing power could also be our greatest weakness. _**X looked down, depressed, and was suddenly interrupted by Zero. **_Huh? _**A purple reploid was walking in shackles with two Hunters escorting him. **_Vile... Looks like he must have caused quite a fuss again. _**Vile and company walked beside them and exited the command room. **_I'm afraid that for every kind and sensitive Hunters like you X, there always seems to be a borderline maverick like Vile out there._**

---

Later at the Headquarter…

Zero was facing that mechaniloid once again, with a hostage in his pincers, she fired her buster at the generator and the blast landed right on the hostage side. An electronic female voice spoke. Training sequence concluded. Everything disappeared and a small green screen with 95 on it appeared.

_**Dammit! I've missed five percent.**_

A confident voice spoke from behind her. **_Ninety-five percent, that's very good Zero._**

She turned around, only to find her old friend Storm Eagle standing behind her. Storm Eagle was obviously made from an eagle-like design and was a little taller than she was. He had sharp talons instead of his foots and two long wings could be seen on his back and was dark blue in color. He stood in the same arrogant stance as usual and seemed to be strangely happy. **_Storm Eagle! I thought that you were supposed to be patrolling the missile base._**

_**With the automated defense system complete, they trampled down my tour of duty. Starting today, I'm just a regular hunter again.**_

_**Good for you.**_

**_Anyway, they are doing a briefing about the out of control mechaniloid. Let's go Zero!_** She was a little embarrassed about how he always seemed to be so full of optimism; she guessed that this was why she used to hang with him before he was transferred. So, they both went to hear the briefing together.

---

Briefing room…

A whole lot of hunters were standing in the briefing room when a female hunter finally spoke. _We now know that the mechaniloid stationed at the dismantled building went berserk. However, it was under the control of an unknown party._ A lot of whispers could be heard behind Zero and X, who were standing beside each others.

**So there was no one inside, it was being controlled remotely? **Asked X, after hearing what the female Hunter had to say.

_That's right._

_**Wait a minute!**_

_Huh?_

**_What about the mechaniloid security program?_** She knew that this wouldn't help her reputation of always pointing out the obvious issue at hand, but she couldn't help it anyway.

Chill Penguin, who was also in the room, decided to add a little of his own thoughts. A system that complicated shouldn't be so easy to haaaack!

_There is a chance that the perpetrator has managed to completely crack our security codes._

A random Hunter asked. **_From where is it being controlled from?_** Just as he finished his question, a hologram of the earth appeared.

_The signal has been camouflaged by being routed through a series of satellites. _A lot of green lines appeared all over the earth accordingly. _But the origin has been tracked here, Able City sector sixteen east._

_**You gotta be kidding me! That's so close.**_

**Does commander Sigma know about this?**

_We've contacted him; X and Zero teams are to be dispatched immediately following the briefing. Those are his orders._ Both then replied "Roger".

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I apologize to those that would think that I'm just copying the OVA, but it is definitely interesting plot-wise for comprehensions of what Megaman X is all about. I have, of course, omitted and will omit a few parts; because this story is supposed to center on Zero and I don't want to spoil it completely for everyone that hasn't seen it yet. But don't worry, Once, I'm done with the OVA, I'll go back to some more original stuff. Regardless, I hope that I have been able to give some justice to the OVA first part and you must also have noticed that I made a few edits. I actually don't really believe in this whole "I'm cooler than X" stuff about Zero, though I don't intend to do anything more than make the female version a little more loose than the male one in that regard. Sorry for those that believed in it. Also, don't miss Part 2.


	2. The Day of Sigma Part 2

Chapter 2

The Day of Sigma (Part 2)

It was during the night that our hunters had arrived in Block sixteen east and were in view of a tall shady building, from where apparently, the hacking took place. After taking a look at the building, X spoke. **Strange. It's too quiet.**

Zero, was standing a few foots away from him, she was wondering why he was making such a case out of this; whatever if it was, the only way to know for sure was to see for themselves. She replied in a daring tone. **_So, wanna check it out X?_**

The blue reploid silently nodded and they both went to the alley that was besides the building, they had noticed an entrance higher above the building, it would probably be better than knocking at the door and wait for whoever was there to answer. Both reploids dashed from wall to wall between the buildings and arrived near the open entrance. The female reploid approached the door and left out a surprised sound. X quickly asked. **What is it?** Zero moved out of the way to allow him to see the grim spectacle; she had found many cut down reploids lying on the ground. They looked around the building and found no one to give them an explanation about what had transpired here. They called their respective hunters that they had left behind, just in case that the culprits were still there. The hunters soon arrived and Zero began to investigate the corpses; she checked many of them, but they were beyond any help now, they all seemed to have been cut down by a slashing weapon. She took a glance at X, who was waiting for her to see if they were still operational, she gestured in solemn manner that none of them had made it. X turned to one of the two hunters, which were searching the two computers that were on the wall. **Well?**

_**No, I'm afraid that whatever data that was here must be gone now.**_

Zero stood and quietly said. **_This is quite a feat…_**

As soon as she was done with what she was saying, a tall bald reploid entered the room; it would seem that the commander had finally caught up with them. Sigma scanned the room around him and stopped on the second hunter that was investigating the computers. **Status report.**

The hunter ran to him and saluted the commander. The nervous hunter said. Sir! It must have been an inside job; it was emptied just after the mechaniloid went berserk.

Sigma then walked toward the female reploid, not giving any more attention to the hunter that he was previously interrogating. The bald reploid coldly asked. **What do you make of it Zero?**

**_No matter who did this, it seems fairly obvious that they have phenomenal combat skills. Each and every blow directed at a weak spot._**

Sigma nodded, took a glance at X and left. **Huh?**

---

On a road…

It had been a little while since the giant mechaniloid went berserk, unfortunately for the hunters; these disturbances began to spread at an alarming rate. Our two hunters were making their way back to the Headquarter on two speeders; X turned his head to see Zero and said. **I can't believe it has gotten this bad.**

The female reploid mind had been quite busy these days, her instinct told her that there was something wrong with all of those mechaniloids going out of control for no reason at all, there had to be a purpose behind all of those events. **_All of these berserk mechaniloids... Why do I get the feeling that they're just here to distract us._**

The blue reploid quizzically asked.** You think that whoever is behind this has a different goal in mind?**

She didn't knew just how right she had been, because that just as X asked her about it, the female hunter that had briefed them a while ago, about the mechaniloid, appeared on her speeder screen. **_X, Zero, we have an emergency. The ex-maverick hunter Vile has escaped from his cell..._**

**What?!**

That was it; once again, she had been right all along. The female hunter continued. **_Report to the scene immediately._** Both reploids acknowledged and hurried toward the detention center.

---

The detention center…

They didn't knew it back then, but another grim scene awaited the hunters when they arrived at the detention center, an impressive amount of hunters had been cut down in a manner that Zero recognized as the same that she had found in block sixteen. She looked at the corpses, there was no way that it could be Vile, these blows were way too precise to be his handwork. **_There's no way that this can be Vile work, he doesn't have this kind of attack capability... This has to be the very same reploid that was responsible of hacking the mechaniloid a while ago._**

Somehow, she remembered commander Sigma strange reaction when she told him about what she thought about the corpses; it seemed as if he already knew about it. She was dragged back from her daydreaming by X, who asked. **So, you think that whoever made the mechaniloid to go berserk used it as a cover so that he could make Vile escape?**

They were both interrupted by a loud beep coming from their communication system. **_Zero here._**

And once again, it was the very same girl that always seemed to be delivering very bad news. **_X, Zero, we managed to track the hackers location._** The two hunters looked at each other, it would be the perfect time to stop the culprits before this escalated into a much greater mess.

---

Back on their speeders…

Their spotter was giving them the details about the hackers location. **_The berserk mechaniloids are being controlled by the missile base. I've tried contacting all personnel but the signal is being disrupted and I haven't been able to get to commander Sigma for a few minutes either._**

**_I have a bad feeling about this…_**

They soon reached the missile base, it was simple enough to sneak in, they managed to get on top of the ramp that led to the control room; from there, they could see that the control room was lit, which was quite strange as there weren't any light open within the missile base. They quickly went there and the door opened, both shouted "Don't move!", but they soon realized that Sigma had beaten them on this one. **Commander Sigma!**

The tall reploid turned to face them and spoke. **X, Zero, it looks like the enemy was using the security system here to control the mechaniloids.**

**_So that's how they managed to hide their location._**

**They knew it would take a while to trace.**

Both hunters approached the command console and Zero said. **_Commander Sigma, the Headquarter told us they were having troubles contacting you._**

**Oh, yes, I had to deactivate my transmitter to maintain my cover. Of course, none of that matters now.** Sigma activated his beam saber.

Zero had heard it, she had a bad feeling ever since they entered this place, and her suspicions had been right all along; Sigma was the culprit. Sigma slashed at her from behind, she spun around and the blade landed just between her right shoulder and her neck. X couldn't believe what he had just witnessed. **Commander Sigma! Zero!**

The commander smirked as he asked the red reploid. **Tell me, how did you figure it out?**

**_Call it woman intuition. Besides, the perpetrator was so skilled, not many reploids have that kind of specks; it wasn't that hard to put two and two together. That's why I was ready for your attack just now._**

**I have to congratulate you on your detective skills Zero, but it is X who deserves my admiration, his innocence is what makes him special you see. He's an incredible reploid specimen.** The tall reploid took Zero head in his large palm and raised her above the ground. **You agree?**

She was struggling as hard as she could, but this only made things worse. If she did nothing soon, her head would be crushed. **Commander Sigma, what are you doing?** The blue reploid raised his buster and targeted Sigma with it. **Let her go, please!**

**Now is your chance X, fire. If you really want to destroy me, you'll have to shoot, destroying Zero in the process.** Zero desperately tried to get away, but the pain was too overwhelming, all of her energies were concentrated to remain conscious. X was hesitating once again. **What's the matter X? Shoot.** There was no way that X could bring himself to shoot her, she was trying to tell him to forget about her and shoot, but she failed to do it; she couldn't bring herself to scream like a little girl before both of them, because this was exactly what she would do if the pain didn't stopped, she was beginning to feel her internal parts cracking beneath her helmet. **Hahahahahahaha! Yes, you can't do it, can you X?** Sigma threw her in the air and sliced her twice before she lost consciousness.

---

Later…

Somehow, Zero internal repair system managed to stabilize her, she was now trying to stand. **_S-Sigma... X..._** What she saw was even worse than the humiliation she had just suffered, X was standing there, completely motionless; it seemed as if he was frozen and his eyes were… empty; his right arm was gone and wide hole, that she presumed to have been caused by Sigma blade, could be seen in his belly. _**X!!!** _She managed to gather whatever strength she had left and took him out of the missile base. She activated her communication system and contacted their spotter. **_Q-quick… missile base… X…_** She fell down once more.

_**Zero! Zero! Is that you?! Zero! **_She couldn't even remain awake anymore; everything went black…

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Well, we're finally done with the OVA, so I will be able to get to some truly original stuff. We'll be getting to Megaman X in the next chapter. As you might have noticed, we might experience a whole lot of jump between the games as Zero is quite infamous for disappearing for extended periods of times. I am also attempting to implant a preview system that will allow me to give a small teaser without spoiling it all.

Preview:

Zero arises from her slumber a few days later, only to find that X has just gone to stop another disturbance on his own. A new threat, perhaps even darker than Sigma arises and seeks to destroy everything that the Hunters stand for. What will Zero find as she follows Sigma trail to the very bowels of Able City? Next Chapter: Maverick Hunter Zero.


	3. Maverick Hunter Zero

Chapter 3

Maverick Hunter Zero

Zero soon began to regain consciousness; she opened her eyes slightly, but was discouraged by the light that came from the room. She heard footsteps coming toward her, a voice that she somehow recognized spoke. Zero! She struggled to focus her eyes on the person behind the glass that was before her. Zero!

She was having a horrible headache and all of this yelling wasn't helping her at all. So, she said. **_Y-yeah… Just stop yelling, please!_**

Good. I must admit that you gave us quite a fright when we brought you here. You should recover completely in a few moments.

_**W-Who are you? And where am I?**_

You're back at the Hunter base, you were found unconscious at the entrance of the missile base, it is almost a miracle that you made it…

Her vision finally cleared and she saw him, he was the one in charge of the Hunters medical bay. She soon found out that she was stuck inside a large maintenance tube and that the injuries she had suffered, before collapsing, were gone. The red reploid asked. **_What about X? Is he safe?_**

He is fine, he was in a much better shape than you were when they found you…

_**For how long have I been in this tube?**_

A week or so. Now, why don't you catch up with the others in the command room, I was instructed to ask you to go there as soon as you awoken.

_**Fine.**_

---

Hunter Base Command Room…

Zero barged in the command room, causing a general surprise and a lot of whisperings; her spotter waved to her and invited her to come over. Zero approached and greeted the female spotter. **_Hi spotter Theta, what have I missed?_** It bothered her a lot that she had missed a whole week while Sigma and other mavericks were probably rampaging the city.

The other female hunter replied. **_That's navigator Theta now, many of us received field promotions to make up with all the hunters we lost when former commander Sigma defected,,,_**

The red reploid interrupted her and asked. **_How many of our hunters went Maverick?_**

_**Too many for me to give you an accurate picture of the situation, we are currently hard pressed by Sigma forces.**_

_**Then, tell me who's left?**_

**_You, X, us at the base, Gravity Beetle of the 17th Unit, Squid Adler of the 6th Fleet and Magma Dragoon of the 14th Unit. That's all the forces we have left._**

**_No way! So many of them… Where's X right now? _**She was very disappointed, she didn't even dared to ask if Storm Eagle had also joined Sigma rebellion, she just couldn't believe that someone like him would go Maverick just like that.

_**He left about fifteen minutes ago to deal with the hijacking of the Central Highway**_

_**On his own?!**_

_**Yes, is there a problem?**_

She couldn't believe that they had sent X on his own to deal with this, Sigma wouldn't have hijacked it if he didn't had enough forces to deal with the hunters; and now, they were sending X on his own to stop them! She knew that if she weren't around to watch his back, he wouldn't make it, not after what happened at the missile base. **_Ready the transfer system, I'm going too!_**

_**I'm sorry, but I cannot allow it.**_

**_If you don't, I'll do it myself, so you might as well lend me a hand! _**There was no way that she would let him rush to his death if she could help it. Her reasons weren't exactly clear in her mind, but she had an extremely bad feeling about this…

---

Central Highway…

Zero was dashing as fast as she could through the battered highway, she encountered many destroyed mechaniloids along the way; she even found the remains of three hornet assault-type copters, she couldn't believe that X had managed to do this on his own, perhaps she had been worrying a little too much about this. She met little resistance before she arrived at the end of the highway; X was locked in a fight with an unlikely opponent. A purple reploid wearing a T-shaped helmet, on which a red V could be seen, was fighting against X in a ride armor; this reploid had a cannon implanted in his shoulder, that he used to keep X busy while he closed in with the war machine that he was operating. Zero knew far too well who it was, it was Vile! Our female hunter had always been against the use of ride armors as she believed them to be far too clumsy and too dangerous to be left in the hands of everybody, which caused her and Vile, who was a ride armor specialist, to clash a lot before he was arrested. Vile was fighting in his personal ride armor and seemed to be giving quite a lot of trouble to the blue reploid. She was still too far to do anything, so she dashed as fast as she could to the scene; but it seemed that X had beaten her to it, he had finished charging his buster and had sent a strong blast of blue energy at Vile. An explosion came from his ride armor and it stopped moving, the blue reploid approached the war machine, whose arm was suddenly activated by Vile; X was caught inside the large fist of the war machine and seemed to be unable to get out. Vile seemed content to gloat over his victory, which allowed Zero the time to charge her own buster; once she was done, she fired it right at the weak spot of the mechanical arm, the arm was blasted away while the ride armor was thrown backward. She hurried and placed herself between X, who had fallen on the ground when the ride armor was damaged, and Vile who still didn't understand what was going on. The female reploid checked on X from the corner of her eye and asked.**_ X! Are you ok?!_**

Leaving the blue reploid no time to answer, Vile spoke.** Hmph… Zero… Why would someone as powerful as you, align herself with X? He's just a B-Class Hunter, nothing more!**

_**That's still way better than being a Maverick like you! **_

**…** Zero began to charge her buster once again, but Vile jumped off the highway as she fired. A large airship appeared from under the structure with Vile on its deck, the red hunter fired on it but to no avail, Vile had escaped.

She was extremely pissed that she had failed to catch him, why did this creep choose a time like this to turn on them. **_Dammit…_**

X finally decided to speak. **Zero! What happened to Vile?**

She promptly replied. **_I don't know, but I doubt that this is the last time we hear of him, though I wonder why you are the one he decided to ambush… _**The blue reploid somehow seemed to know why, but he probably didn't wanted to share this with her, she would probably find out in due time. **_X… I'm gonna go after Sigma for a while. Get back to the base and rest._**

**Gotcha… Let's meet up later. **She nodded and walked away, she was stopped a few step later. **Zero!**

The female hunter turned back to him and said. **_What?_**

**Thanks… You saved me again.**

She left out a long sigh and replied. **_Don't get too used to it, I'm not gonna always be around to watch your back… Be careful from now on, ok?_**

**I promise I will.**

She gazed at X for a few seconds and went toward her next destination.

---

Sector 13 West…

A few days had passed since Zero went after Sigma on her own; of course, most of the trails were dead since she had been unconscious for a week before she began her hunt. Her research had led her to the infamous sector thirteen, this place was a den for the worst kind of reploids, this place had been long known as a safe haven for rebellious reploids, mavericks and any other kind of freaks. This was the turf of a weapon dealer that the Hunters tolerated only because they never saw him as a serious threat, and also because they preferred to have him at arm-length rather than having to deal with tons of separate cells; she had learned that Sigma had an agreement with this dealer regarding several weapon shipments, she wanted to see if she could find something about Sigma whereabouts from him. It took her a long time to manage to get an appointment with the weapon dealer, she posed as a contact sent by Sigma to discuss another shipment; it had been truly bothersome to hide her link with the Hunters, for this purpose, she had deactivated her communication system ever since she entered this place to maintain her cover. She was waiting in a dark alley with a hooded shroud that hid her features almost completely; soon, two though looking reploids came to her. One of them spoke to her. We've been hearing a lot of rumors about you, you're asking a little too much question for our leader taste. Therefore, we shall eliminate you.

She daringly replied. **_Really? I'd like to see that happen._**

Get her! The two shady reploids closed on her, the first one got out a stun stick while the other was approaching his dirty paws from her. As the closest one arrived, Zero jumped on the left wall beside her and gave a strong kick in the reploid chest, which sent him to crash in the other wall. The reploid with the stun stick carefully approached and thrust his stick toward her, she ducked on her left and grabbed his head; the female reploid smashed his face on the ground, disarmed him and got a hold of his right arm.

She whispered to him. **_You don't want to get on my bad side, do you? If you value that arm of yours, lead me to your leader without complaining._**

Fine, fine, just let me go!

She set him free and said. **_Get your associate out of the wall and let's hurry there. I will have to speak with your leader about his way of treating prospective clients…_**

The two shady reploids led her inside an underground passage that was inside a nearby building; she soon ended up inside a heavily guarded bunker. They arrived at a large metallic door; one of the two robots went inside and invited her in. A large bear-like reploid was waiting for her, his main feature was that he had a sharp clawed cybernetic arm, she knew a little about this kind of illegal implant, they were designed to enhance the strength of the reploid on which it was implanted and had a morphing capability that allowed them to have a weapon concealed at all times; he had four large spikes on his chest and a large white scar on his right eye. The clawed reploid said. **_So, this is the girl who defeated two of my enforcers on her own…_** He took a look at her and added. **_But before we speak business, get that shroud off, I like to see who I'm dealing with._**

Zero replied. **_And I hate to be attacked by useless underlings, that makes us even._**

_**Grr… Have it your way, I've seen worse. So, why did you want to meet me so badly?**_

_**My employer has sent me to discuss the possibility of further dealings with you…**_

The bear-like reploid smirked. **_Then why doesn't he come to discuss it himself? Had he truly thought that I, Crescent Grizzly would be more open to negotiations if he sent a girl? Hah!_**

She now knew why he had managed to hold his fragile position for so long, he was a very paranoid fellow, he must had learned something from that scar he received. **_No, Lord Sigma is simply too busy at the moment to oversee the details himself…_**

_**Then tell him that I don't deal with the Hunters, I don't care what you say, I never dealt with this Sigma. Now, begone!**_

It was such a fat lie that she almost laughed at his face, he knew Sigma well enough to know that he used to be with the Hunters. She tried to remain as neutral as she could. **_There's no need to play dumb with me, Lord Sigma is very satisfied with the last shipment, he merely wants to offer you a very lucrative business opportunity._**

Crescent Grizzly eye shined as he heard the word "Lucrative". **_All right, I never got where I am by being picky with my clients. What do you want this time?_**

_**Three hundred millimeters torpedoes, Spinning Turrets, Static flamethrowing Turrets, Wall Blasters, Ride Armors model Chimera and add a lot of energy cores.**_

The bear-like reploid viciously smiled as he heard the expensive items and replied. **_You did your researches well, follow me please. _**He led her to two large metallic boxes in a nearby hangar and opened them. **_Does this satisfy you?_**

She took a look at the boxes and found torpedoes and power cores of an extreme quality, these were even better than anything she had expected. **_Very much so, when will you be able to deliver them to us?_**

_**The ride armors will take a while to load, I believe that I can manage to speed things so that we can make the delivery tomorrow.**_

Here was her chance, she would be able to accompany the shipment and discover Sigma location. **_Good, tell me when you're ready to go, I will accompany this shipment to our base._**

_**WHAT?! Why?!**_

_**Lord Sigma was displeased when he found out that a few weapons had disappeared during the last delivery, he asked me to make sure that it wouldn't happen again.**_

The clawed reploid seemed to be very angry at her for what she implied, she hoped that he wouldn't see past that one. **_Grrr… Fine, but I want half the money up front!_**

_**I would advise that you don't attempt to negotiate this generous offer any further.**_

Zero noticed that his claw seemed to be itching, he was probably thinking about ripping her apart, she hoped that his fear of Sigma would be enough to hold him back; she wasn't exactly in a very favorable location to fight him. Fortunately, the bear-like reploid calmed down and said. **_Grrr… All right, come tomorrow, we will be ready to transfer the weapons…_**

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I heard some rumors about Crescent Grizzly making an appearance within the OVA, but I don't remember anything like this, they must have mixed him with Spark Mandrill. As for the changes about Zero reaction when X thank him, it just seems so rude that he just take a glance at X and leave.

Preview:

Zero has succeeded in finding the location of Sigma Palace; but something is wrong, as both Zero and X are preparing to storm the fortress, someone has already beaten them on it. Who is this reploid that stands between them and Sigma? Next Chapter: Sigma Palace.


	4. Sigma Palace

Chapter 4

Sigma Palace

The next day, Zero left for the hidden fortress of Sigma; she was accompanied by two other reploids that Crescent Grizzly had sent to ensure that the weapons would make it to their destinations. They soon arrived near a large base hidden inside a canyon that was located just outside of Able City. Once they were close enough, Zero knocked out the two robots and hid the weapon shipment elsewhere; she would probably have to inform the hunters about those illegal arms that she had confiscated.

She scouted around the place and soon found that the security was tighter than she had expected, Sigma probably expected that the hunters would catch up with him sooner or later, and had prepared accordingly.

The main entrance was heavily guarded, and she wasn't even sure if she could handle it on her own; she also noticed something strange on the left side of the canyon, it seemed like there were many flying platforms going around the base. She figured that those platforms could be used to reach the air conduct on the northwestern side of the fortress; this would probably be the best course of action.

There was little time to waste, she activated her communication system and contacted the Headquarter; it took a certain amount of time to establish a suitable transmission, but she did managed to get a clear communication. **_Get this to X! I've discovered Sigma's base! I'm sending the coordinates now._**

A familiar voice answered, whom she recognized as belonging to X. **We've located you, Zero! I'm on my way!**

She replied. **_Ok, but listen, this place is more secure than I had thought; meet up with me so that we may come up with a plan._**

X arrived by transfer at sunset; he looked at his surrounding and caught Zero within his sight that was still observing the silent base. He called for her. **Zero!**

The red reploid turned to face him and replied. **_Finally, I was about to begin the party without you._**

**Sorry… I'm glad to see that you are safe Zero, when you have cut your communication system and suddenly disappeared… I was a little worried I guess…**

Zero knew that X was always more of a worrier than she was, she felt a little uneasy about this, few hunters had ever been worried about her; X, as well as all the other hunters, knew that she could take care of herself; but, strangely enough, X still did. **_Come on X, you know me better than that; I have been following Sigma this whole time and I also managed to find this place._**

**I guess you're right. By the way, thanks for helping me with those Mavericks, I must say that I was very surprised when Theta told me that they had been annihilated.**

**_You're welcome… But, which Mavericks?_**

**Stop fooling around Zero; you've taken care of half of them on your own.**

She hadn't defeated those Mavericks at all… In fact, she expected that X would have taken care of Sigma minions while she was gone, but was someone else also fighting them? **_I'm sorry X, but I have been under cover this whole time, I haven't 'annihilated' those Mavericks…_**

**Then… Who did… **Suddenly, a large explosion could be heard from afar, Zero hurried toward the location of this explosion and was soon joined by X as she arrived in view of the main entrance. The large metallic doors that used to stand in front of Sigma's base had been bashed open and a large amount of destroyed mechaniloids could be seen on the ground.

The blue reploid couldn't hold his surprise, and said. **Awesome…**

The female reploid promptly replied. **_It seems that someone has beaten us on this. This reploid seems to have a formidable fighting strength, this sounds almost… Impossible…_**

**What should we do, Zero?**

**_Dusk is approaching, we'd better get moving if we don't want to be caught unaware by hidden turrets firing in the dark; I will follow this mysterious reploid from here, you should sneak in from the north western side with the help of the flying platforms there. If we hurry, we may be able to surround him and see for ourselves who is behind this explosion._**

**Gotcha!** The blue reploid left and Zero went after this strange intruder.

---

Zero carefully followed the track of the mysterious reploid through the base; she encountered very little resistance, it seemed that he hadn't just forced his way in, he leveled it. The female reploid continued deeper into the base and arrived at a large room, in which strange contraptions could be seen.

Zero soon began to hear loud footsteps heading toward the room, the footsteps became louder and louder as a large thing approached, she quickly hid on the wall above the entrance. Much to her surprise, she saw Vile bursting inside the room with his dark purple ride armor. The red reploid overheard him say. **This is too easy, I expected far more from you, Sigma.** It couldn't be, what was Vile doing there?

Suddenly, X dashed from the other side of the room and arrived before Vile; seeing this, Zero jumped down from the wall and dashed behind the ride armor. The blue reploid shouted. **Stop it right there!**

Zero added. **_You've caused quite a lot of trouble, Vile…_**

Vile took a glance at Zero behind him and turned back to X. **Yeah? I was just taking care of a few loose ends.**

**You're the one who defeated all those Mavericks. So you're not on Sigma's side? You're not allies?**

**Allies? I don't have any. Not now… Not ever. I only know one thing for sure, X… You are my enemy.**

**This is as far as you go, Vile!**

**_You're definitely not running away from me this time!_**

Vile jumped with his ride armor toward the blue reploid and attempt to knock him out with the massive fists of his war machine. Zero began to charge her buster, while X evaded the punches, and fired a charged shot toward the ride armor; but the shot was too slow, and Vile easily saw it coming, she continued to charge while X sent many small buster shots at the purple reploid.

Vile seemed to be hard pressed, he quickly dashed with the armor toward the female reploid and began to corner her with the war machine; X continued his rapid fire and forced Vile to temporarily ignore her, he sent large ball of electricity that created two sparks that headed toward them.

The female reploid dash jumped away from the sparks and saw X imprisoned inside an electricity force field; Vile used that opportunity to dash toward the blue reploid. Zero shouted. _**Stay away from him, Vile!** _The female reploid quickly charged her buster and sent a blast of energy that split into four smaller shots when it arrived toward the ride armor. The purple reploid, seeing the damage caused to his machine right leg and its missing right fist, spoke.

**Why do you have to be such a pest, Zero?! There's no way that you two can best me in this ride armor!**

By then, X was freed, and Zero had enough time to fire a lesser blast at Vile. The war machine jumped away from the blast and was now within the range of both hunters. The red reploid gestured something at the blue one, who nodded afterward; energy began to concentrate within arm cannons and two large blasts of energy were sent toward the ride armor. **Bastards!**

The rogue hunter activated his hidden thrusters and flew safely away from the ride armor, which exploded from the impact of both charged shots. The blue reploid spoke, as Vile landed on the ground. **Give up, Vile! You've already lost!**

**Ha Ha Ha… You two don't understand a thing, do you?… You're worried about Sigma when you should've been worried about me!** Vile lifted his arm toward them and his hand opened to reveal an hidden weapon that sent sharp blue projectiles at the female reploid, Zero blocked the shots with her crossed arms as much as she could, but she couldn't take much of those before they began to damage her.

**_You little… X, no kidding now, let's get him!_**

**Right!**

Zero dash jumped behind the former hunter and began to charge her buster, X started to fire lesser shots on the purple reploid. Vile continued to fire in a frenzied manner, but he eventually saw the shots coming toward him. **Hmph…**The purple reploid flew above them and sent a grenade that exploded dangerously close from Zero; the explosion sent her flying on a nearby wall. The blue robot tried to keep him busy, but Vile had still succeeded in imprisoning Zero within one of his energy force field.

X began charging his buster and sent a massive blast of blue energy at the rogue hunter; Vile didn't even blink, he fired a green laser from his shoulder cannon that destroyed the shot and went right in X shoulder. **Aagh!**

The red reploid was back in the game and dashed toward Vile, while simultaneously building up her power. _**If you want to harm X, you'll have to get through me first!** _The rogue hunter barely made it out of that one and evaded the large blast at the last second.

_**Don't tempt me Zero!** _He fired his vulcan device at her again, while X was still recovering, and sent another grenade at her; this time, she was caught in the explosion.

**Stop it!** X began to shower Vile with weak blasts of buster to distract him.

Regardless of her injuries, the red hunter wasn't down yet, she began to charge her buster repeatedly, sending the deadliest shots that she could muster; the rogue hunter evaded the two first ones and jumped right above her, he kicked her in the face and sent her to the ground.

X desperately tried to catch his elusive target, but it was pointless, the former hunter activated his thrusters again and fired his green beam at the female reploid; a small explosion came from her chest, she was now feeling many electrical currents going through her body, she couldn't move anymore… **Zero!!**

**Ha ha! One down, only one left!**

Zero couldn't see anything of what was happening. When the sounds of fighting stopped, she heard X falling on his knees. **Agh… ugh…**

Zero could now hear Vile footsteps heading toward the blue reploid. The rogue hunter spoke. **X… I'll admit that you've grown stronger. But you'll hardly be able to accomplish anything if you're dead!** Zero painfully raised her head and saw Vile stomping X head repeatedly with his heel. **What's the matter X?! Aren't you showing your true power?**

She couldn't stand idle while looking at this, X was unable to defend himself, and she could see that the same electrical currents that were covering her had also began to manifest themselves on the blue reploid. Her right arm had been stabilized by her repair system, if only she could crawl to them and then… She approached them steadily and saw the former hunter kick her friend head once again, X stopped moving.

**Weak till the bitter end, huh? It's over X!** Vile lowered his shoulder cannon, but was held back by something clinging to his leg.

Zero, even though battered to a critical level, stubbornly refused to let him go. She said. **_A Maverick like you can't be allowed to live, Vile!_**

The purple reploid frenetically tried to get rid of her. **Let go!!**

**_X! Please, shoot now!_**

She could see X gathering energy within his arm cannon. **Not a charged shot!!**

**Eyaaaahhhh!!!** X fired a large blast of blue energy at Vile.

**Nooooooooo!!**The blast caught both reploids in it and sent Vile crashing on the ground, dragging the female reploid with him.

X somehow managed to stand and helped Zero lay on her back. **Zero! Hang in there, please!**

Her vision began to blur as she began to speak. **_X… I'm the one who kept telling you to be more careful… Hehe… Now, look at me…_**

**Don't waste your energy talking; we'll have you fixed in no time!**

Zero raised her hand and pulled his arm toward her. **_No… There's… No time for that… Sigma is close… You must stop the Mavericks…_ _Take my control chip and take whatever energy I have left… Go, X…_**

**Zero…**

She couldn't keep her eyes open, she sensed that she was torn apart of her body, she closed her eyes and then…

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A hard chapter to get right, but I believe that I somehow made it. Here, we have maybe the first time that I had to choose between what was cannon and what wasn't. I choose to make a blend between the old one and the two from MHX; I believe that there were way too many strange things involved in each of them, such as: Vile that doesn't use his ride armor against X and Zero, and X getting all of his energy back by absorbing Vile force field. I do hope that you liked it.

Preview:

Six months later, after a strange twist of fate, Zero is brought back from the dead. But what she didn't know, is that a battle had been fought between the Maverick Hunters and a group of Mavericks calling themselves the X-Hunters; the X-Hunters used her parts as a bait to destroy X, who was still in the possession of her control chip. Two groups, one reploid, and both wishing to use her for their own purpose. Will Zero fight alongside X once again, or will she fight the hunters as a Maverick? Next Chapter: Arise, Zero!


	5. Arise, Zero!

Chapter 5

Arise, Zero!

It has been six month since the destruction of Sigma, and little has changed. Sigma followers, refusing to give up the fight against the Hunters, are still carrying on their master legacy. A group in particular, has been quite successful in that regard; the X-Hunters, have succeeded in seizing the North Pole and has been hindering the Hunters at every turn. But something even worse was soon revealed; the X-Hunters are claiming to have retrieved Zero parts, and are using them as a bait to destroy X. Only time would tell, who would be the victor…

---

The X-Hunters Headquarter…

X had just gone through all the traps that populated the X-Hunters Headquarter, and he was now heading toward the central computer, where Sigma was waiting for him. It was impossible, how could Sigma have survived their previous encounter? Many questions raced through his mind as he went further inside the heavily guarded inner sanctum.

After making it through the security system, he arrived at a door bearing a strange symbol that he knew far too well; the door opened and he entered the room. There were a large number of chairs that were around a holographic devise similar to the one that was inside the hunters briefing room. Suddenly, a tall reploid appeared at the other side of the room. X shouted. **Sigma!!**

The tall reploid evilly laughed and said. **X, I told you that you couldn't stop the process of our evolution. The unification has been completed; I now possess the power to crush this undeserving world under my heel. Soon, the transfer of the Maverick data into the hunters main computer will be completed; what will you do when the whole world have turned on you, X?**

**I won't let you turn this world into another battlefield!**

**Really? But it has already begun. It is our fate; your destiny, X. Evolution has begun, and there's nothing that you can do about it.**

X angrily replied. **You are mad, Sigma, there's no way that this is the path that the humans wished for the reploids!**

**Haven't I already told you, X? The battle! The angst! The destruction! All of those things are necessary so that evolution may follow its course! Mwa ha ha ha ha!**

**That's enough! I won't let your twisted logic throw this world into chaos again! **The blue reploid pointed his buster at Sigma and began to charge it.

**It's still too soon for you to face me; so, I brought a friend with me!** A mysterious reploid appeared beside Sigma and stepped between both reploids.

**No… It can't be… How did you?**…

Not listening to what the blue reploid was saying, Sigma continued. **It would seem that you let her to die, and she's not too happy about it. I believe that this would be a fitting place to settle this score. Mwa ha ha ha!**

---

Zero was now falling within an endless pit surrounded by darkness, even though she had been falling for days, this pit seemed to be… endless… She surely had expected something a little flashier, but she guessed that death wasn't supposed to be pleasant. As the darkness continued to surround her, her thoughts turned to X, whom she had left alone to defeat Sigma; even though it didn't mattered now, she was still worried about how things turned out. If X had failed in defeating Sigma, her own sacrifice would have been rendered useless…

Two days later, she felt a strange feeling overwhelming her; it seemed as if something was pulling her out of the pit. Zero closed her eyes, and when she opened them; she found herself in a brightly lit room, inside a maintenance tube. The light was blinding her; this all had a feeling of Déja Vu.

She didn't knew why, but she felt heavier than usual and sensed something hitched on her shoulder; when she reached her shoulder, she found something that seemed to be a shoulder pad. The capsule opened and a loud voice could be heard. She has awakened; come here ASAP.

Zero could barely walk, she could feel a persistent pain within her head and her vision was almost completely blurred, she seemed to be losing her balance at every steps. The female reploid soon made a wrong move and her left knee fell on the ground. Her vision soon stabilized and she saw a pink haired female reploid, that was wearing a black suit with an orange breastplate and that also wore a pair of headphones with a microphone that went down to her lips, entered with a group of reploids that she didn't recognized.

The pink-haired reploid turned to a reploid that was on the other side of the room. **_Is she all right now?_**

The voice, that had previously spoken, answered. I can't tell, she's coming back from a long way; it may take her a certain amount of time before she can pull herself together.

Zero called for the female reploid, that she recognized as her navigator. **_Theta?_**

_**Sounds like she's tougher than you expected… Zero, I'm sure that you must have a lot of questions, but I must ask you to head immediately to the North Pole.**_

_**What?…**_

_**X has just contacted us, Sigma has returned; we have to take action immediately.**_

_**X?… Sigma?**_

_**Have you broken her though circuit while repairing her?**_

The hunter responsible of the maintenance protested. That's not my fault! How do you think you would feel if you died, had your body severed in four and then suddenly awoke six months later?

_**Stop that at once! Try to remain a little quiet, I feel like a ride armor is stomping my head.**_

**_I'm sorry Zero, but it can't be helped…_** She ordered the maintenance officer to take her to the transfer platform and to brief her about her new enhancements. The male reploid helped her to stand and walked her toward the transfer system. About halfway through the corridor, when her hearing went back to normal, he spoke.

I'll go over this rather quickly, since navigator Theta wants you to move out as soon as possible. You were missing for about six months since X defeated Sigma; a group of Maverick had stolen your parts and used them as a bait to fight X. But fortunately, X defeated them and brought back your missing parts to us, and since that he still had your control chip, we were able to rebuild you. Zero couldn't believe it; X had managed to defeat Sigma and had gone through so much just to bring her back… The male reploid continued. I used that opportunity to add these shoulder pads that you asked for, a while ago; I also reinforced your armor, so that you don't get destroyed again. I added a beam saber to your armament and upgraded your left arm so that you can charge it.

**_I don't really know if that's for the best, but I thank you…_** Zero didn't really have enough time to say anything else, as she sound found herself being transferred to the North Pole.

---

X-Hunters Headquarter…

The red reploid soon entered the deepest level of the X-Hunters base; she was still overwhelmed by the events that were unfolding around her. X was alive, and so was Sigma; how could things have turned like this? So much had been sacrificed so that the Mavericks would be destroyed, and yet, it was the same thing all over again. She hurried through the security system, and was soon caught by large spots of light that initiated the defensive system around her. This would probably be the perfect opportunity for her to try those new enhancements that she had received.

The female reploid began to charge both of her buster arms and fire two charged shots at two plasma turrets that she had accidentally activated; unfortunately, she hadn't noticed another turret that was on the ceiling and it fired a plasma projectile on her. Zero crossed her arms to protect herself from the impending shot, and strangely enough, her arms absorbed the whole impact and she wasn't damaged at all. **_Amazing…_**

She easily went through the security system and arrived at a door bearing a strange symbol. No matter how she looked at it, this door just wouldn't budge; she was now beginning to think that she might have to blast it with her buster. The female reploid began to charge her arm cannons and was interrupted by a loud beep coming from her communication system. **_What is it?_**

_**Zero, we are currently detecting two incredible energy signatures ahead of you; there's a high possibility that Sigma is just beyond this room.**_

**_Then, that other one must be X. Ok, I'll go give X some backup; keep me informed of any further development._** She cut her communication system and fired two large blasts of energy at the brown metallic door, who was torn apart in the process; she dashed inside the room and saw a rather disturbing scene.  
X was just beside her, Sigma and another reploid stood on the other side of the room; but the strangest thing, was that this other reploid was an exact replica of her; except for the fact that she was gray in color. **_W-What the hell?!_**

**Zero!!** Zero quickly charged both of her buster arms and fired two fully charged shots at her clone, which simply crossed her arms and nullified both shots.

Sigma seemed to be very amused at her futile attempt. **Mwa ha ha ha! How do you like my new toy, Zero?**

_**I don't understand; what is she?**_

**She is you; and you are her. The only difference is that this annoying thing, that you call free will, doesn't plague her; in other words, she is perfect…**

Not even allowing X or Sigma to add anything else, she daringly replied. **_You call that perfect? I certainly don't look so wimpy; Sigma, you should have studied the blueprints closer!_**

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For those that actually wondered why I decided to skip most of the events of Megaman X2; I have to say that this is because that this story, is supposed to be centered on Zero. Therefore, I believe that it is better suited that I handle it from her own perspective. Of course, I don't completely close the door to some parts from X perspective if it serves the plot in some way.

I figured that what I'm about to say is pretty obvious, but I believe that some may not already be aware of it. The character Theta was actually the navigator that was introduced in Maverick Hunter X, under the name of "Navigator"; since I plan to use her for a little while, I decided to name her with the usual game standard, which consist of naming characters after math symbols.

Preview:

Zero is confronted by perhaps the strongest foe that she ever faced, herself. At the same time, she also has to blow up the central computer to stop Sigma from unleashing the Maverick virus inside the Hunters main computer. Will she succeed to overcome her clone? Next Chapter: Fake.


	6. Fake

Chapter 6

Fake

After swiftly charging both of her arm cannons, Zero fired two charged shots at that cheap version of herself, lighted her beam saber and prepared to slice her opponent in half; the gray reploid parried both blasts of energy as if they were a mere annoyance, and met the blade of green energy with her own. Not understanding what had just happened, Zero said. **_Those enhancements… I just got them, how can she?_**

Sigma, who had been watching the whole thing from a safe distance, asked. **How do you like those new upgrades I made for you? I do believe that they are one of my most brilliant ideas.**

While still struggling with her opponent, who proved to be stronger than she had expected, the red hunter answered. **_This doesn't make any sense; why did you upgrade me? So that you could pit me against this puppet of yours?_**

**Don't you understand by now?! You ARE the unification!**

Her clone emotionless stare was starting to frighten her, as her right arm weakened from the pressure of her opponent blade. **_Is there a point to all this? Or are you just attempting to find some way to entertain yourself?!_**

**You don't know the truth, Zero. You were destined to follow me!**

X couldn't help but to let out a sound of surprise, as the female reploid delayed her answer. She then finally said. **_Maybe, but I still DON'T like you!_** Zero concentrated her anger for the mad reploid on her saber, and attempted to free it from her opponent beam weapon.

**So be it. I'm going to watch you die… Again!!!**

The bald reploid transferred away from the room, leaving both X and Zero to deal with his creation. Zero saw her opponent begin to charge her arm; she succeeded to get away from her just in time, but she soon saw the female reploid smash her charged fist on the ground; creating a large tremor that destroyed both doors from each sides of the room and allowed her to escape through one of them. **_Dammit!_**

The blue reploid spoke. **Zero!**

**_Ah… Yeah, I almost got carried away. Sorry X, but there'll be plenty of time for small talks later; we can't let this creep get away with this._** The female reploid opened her communication and said. **_Theta! Do you read me?!_**

The young hunter replied. **_Yes, what happened?! Our sensors couldn't even measure the amount of energy that was concentrated in this room._**

_**Sigma just escaped from us, we need to know where he is, right away.**_

**_A second please… … Huh?! He's just under you, but I can't find any entrance nearby…_**

Zero gazed at her arm and replied. **_I'll deal with that; how long do we have before they can hack our computers?_**

**_Ten minutes or so. Let Sigma slide for now, we can't afford to let our computers be infected with Maverick data!_**

**_I'm sorry, but I can't allow this to happen either. _**She cut off the communication.

**Huh… Zero?**

**_X… I'll take care of the main computer…_** The red hunter fully charged her fist and hit the ground as hard as she could, creating a massive hole in the floor.**_ You go after Sigma; make sure that he doesn't get away this time!_**

**Alright; but this time, come back alive… Ok?**

**_Don't worry, I still have too much to brag about; I can't allow myself to be destroyed just yet. _**X nodded and went down the large pitfall, while Zero rushed toward the door that her clone had previously escaped to. She dashed beyond the door, and fell within a large vertical ledge, she continued onward and arrived within a very long room; she could see two large screens on the wall, one of her blueprints and another that was closed.

Suddenly, she spotted two large blasts of energy heading toward her; she jumped back to evade them, and soon saw her clone barring her way. **_So, he left you out here to die? Looks like I made the right choice._** She didn't really expect any reply; since it was fairly obvious that, this fake Zero, was mute. The clone didn't even listen to her, and began to gather energy within her arms. **_Wanna play that game, huh? That's fine with me!_**

The gray reploid dashed toward her and released her first shot, allowing her to send one of her own, even though she missed anyway. Zero unleashed her second charge right away, creating a strong tremor that sent large chunks of debris flying around her; but the debris missed their mark and lent the gray reploid, the perfect opportunity to release her remaining energy in the form of a blast of energy. The female reploid stopped the shot with her bare arms, and built up her power again.

Zero sent a spread shot at her clone; her expressionless opponent made the ground shakes once again, using the debris as a shield from the lesser blasts of buster. **_Not bad; though, I expect no less from myself. It too bad for you that you're just a fake._**

For some reasons, the opposing female reploid, suddenly stopped. She pointed at the turned off screen, which opened afterward; revealing a humanoid shape shrouded in darkness. The voice of someone that seemed very old, spoke in a commanding voice. _Zero…_

**_What?!_** The gray reploid used this diversion to draw her beam saber and dashed toward Zero. **_Damn…_**

Zero ducked under the blade and got out her own saber. Both blades crossed repeatedly, both missing their marks at every turn. There were a lot of interferences between the voice words; Zero couldn't hear everything of what the voice was saying. _… go and destroy…_

Something told her that something very important was being revealed to her; but now, it was nothing more than a distraction from her assailant. The red hunter attempted to go on the offensive, but met little success, due to her current footing; she felt heavier than usual, and wasn't used to wield a beam saber. Her opponent kept her busy while the old man went on. _… this rivalry is what drives me on… _

The green beam blade came dangerously close to her head; if she didn't do anything soon, she wouldn't be able to get back in one piece…

She kept dodging as much as she could, and managed to get a better footing. A large explosion sound came from the screen and confused her opponent for a moment. The female reploid used her head and spare arm to push her clone away from her. _He acted sooner than I anticipated…_

This allowed her just enough time to fire a lesser shot of buster toward the troublesome shape, completely destroying the screen in the process. **_This should do the trick._**

That last event seemed to have disturbed the gray reploid, she dash jumped to the wall on the other side of the room, and climbed above the room. Zero turned off her beam saber and followed her until she reached a metallic platform; from which the main computer could be accessed. The fake Zero already had her arm cannon aimed at her and fired a charged shot at her, which she countered by crossing her arms. The clone charged toward her with its own saber. Time was running out, if she didn't hurry; Sigma would have won.

**_You're going down!_** Zero charged her clenched fist and dodged the impending blow on her right side; she then punched the fake Zero, while releasing all the energy that she had gathered in this one single punch, and sent her right into the computer console. **_You forgot a little detail, Sigma… There is only one Zero!_** The female reploid ignited her saber and thrust it into her clone; she took it out as soon as fast as she could, and tried to get away from the computer as fast possible.

The gray reploid exploded; creating a chain reaction that destroyed the computer and about to make the platform fall into oblivion. Zero dashed though a door in the opposite direction, the explosions following her closely and making the floor collapse behind her. A metallic door appeared in her sight, she cut through it with her saber and then…

---

On a nearby cliff…

X gazed at the former X-Hunters base that was now completely consumed by the flames. Everything was over, he had succeeded in destroying Sigma, and the hunters had narrowly prevented another disaster. But, back then; he didn't cared… His mind was consumed with a single question: Did Zero made it back alive, as she promised? He looked closely at the burning ruins from afar, hoping to find a clue about the whereabouts of the female reploid. But there was nothing to be seen besides the smoking ruins…

A loud female voice spoke from behind him. **_Sorry to have kept you waiting, X!_**

The blue reploid turned back to see if this wasn't but a trick from his mind, but it was true; his dear friend was standing right behind him. **Zero!You made it!** X was overjoyed that they both managed to survive this hardship, but he noticed that she seemed be badly damaged. **Are you ok? You look… terrible…**

The female reploid answered. **_It must be nothing that my repair system can't handle… I'm sorry… It would seem that I made a little more fireworks than I expected._**

**I'm glad…**

Zero interrupted him. **_Sigma, did you take care of him permanently… this time?_**

**I did; it is doubtful that he could have made it through this.**

She let out a big sigh of relief as she continued. **_Good, I've taken care of that pathetic clone of mine; she won't bother us anymore._**

X noticed the sea that could be seen on the horizon and wondered… **Do you think that it is truly over this time?**

_**I doubt it; not until every single Maverick have been destroyed…**_

X looked back at her and asked. **So, it's gonna be just like old times?**

**_Yes, just like old times… Anyway, let's head back to the Headquarter, before Theta sends a whole unit after us._**

The blue reploid nodded and took a few steps away; then, he stopped. **Oh, by the way, what the deal with those shoulder pads of yours? They weren't there before, weren't they?**

Zero pointed toward one of them and said. **_Oh, those? They're something I asked a while ago; when we found out about Sigma rebellion, I didn't really enjoy to get that beam saber caught between my shoulder and my head, so I asked them to patch this. They do look nice, don't you think?_**

**Hm… Actually… I think that they make you look a little more boyish…**

The female reploid asked in an irritated tone. **_What do you mean by "a little more"?_**

X looked embarrassed about what he had just said. **Nothing. Forget it…**

And so, he turned back and resumed his walk. **_Wait a minute! I'm not done with you!_**

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well, here it was, the last chapter concerning Megaman X2. Of course, the changes about the fate of Zero's clone and the actual appearance of this mysterious figure weren't in the real game; which is more based upon my assumptions about what it should have been. Though, we can still hope that they might, someday, release the remake of Megaman X2; probably the most obscure game and plot in the whole series.

So, we'll be moving toward Megaman X3 pretty soon. I do hope that you enjoyed those chapters on Zero role in Megaman X2.

Preview:

Zero and X made it back safely to the hunters Headquarter, and resumed their duties as Maverick hunters. No matter how much they wanted it to be otherwise, the fact remained that the Mavericks wouldn't disappear just because of Sigma destruction. It now came upon X, Zero and the new generation of Maverick Hunters to continue the fight. Will they succeed in eradicating the Maverick threat for good? Next chapter: The Zero Unit.


	7. The Zero Unit

Chapter 7

The Zero Unit

Like our two hunters had foreseen, Sigma demise had been the key to end the Maverick revolt. In the aftermath of this event, the hunters succeeded to secure their position and resumed their duty as the protectors of the world; with the new generation of hunters being sent on the frontlines, it seemed unlikely that the Mavericks would prevail… Or so it seemed…

---

Near a forest outside of Able City…

A small group of armed hunters were observing a rather violent disturbance, that took place in a clearing outside of a forest; a frightening shrimp-like Maverick was madly struggling against their forces, who didn't dared to approach the monstrosity. Even though small by height, the crustacean reploid harboured two keen scissor-like pincers and his fighting capabilities were astounding; he even severed two of their comrades, who had gotten too close to him, in half.

From behind them, the sound of a speeder engine was approaching them at a high speed. Soon enough, the speeder stopped behind them and its driver, a female reploid, walked past them and asked. **_What's the current situation?_**

One of the young officers turned to her and respectfully answered. _We've managed to corner the Maverick, but we haven't been able to approach it yet…_

Zero had already figured that much, if it wasn't the case, they wouldn't have requested her to come in person. **_What's about the Spider and Hornet team, are they in position?_**

_The Hornet team is already intercepting the target, but we haven't received any news from the Spider team yet…_

The red hunter replied. **_Fine, you're dismissed; I will handle this matter personally._**

_Yes ma'am!_

The young officer left and Zero observed the battlefield from the high ground. Things weren't as good as she expected, if the trap didn't sprung soon, the Maverick would be able to escape within the forest. Zero attempted to establish a connection with the leader of the Hornet Team; soon enough, a voice answered. _Blast Hornet of the #0 Unit here._

The female reploid skipped the greetings and asked. **_Blast Hornet, are you in position?_**

_Yes ma'am, me and my team are awaiting your orders._

_**Great, can you tell me anything about your current surrounding?**_

Her second in command replied with a buzzing sound behind him. _I have already sent a part of my forces to engage with the shrimp Maverick, but they can't get any closer, a frontal assault would be suicide._

_**I understand, try to lure him away from the forest for as long as you can, understood?**_

_Yes._

After cutting off her communicator, she received an incoming transmission from the Headquarter. **_Commander Zero here._**

A female voice, that she recognized as her navigator, spoke. **_Zero, are you already at the disturbance location?_**

**_Yep, it sounds like this Maverick is too much for the rookies…_**

_**Don't let that whole commander thing get to your head; there are still others way above you in the chain of command.**_

Zero made it sound as if she was offended by that last comment. **_Come on Theta, you know me better than that…_**

The navigator interrupted her and continued. _**That's exactly why I insisted on this matter. Regardless, your orders have changed, you are to capture this Maverick and bring it back to the HQ. Make sure that it remains in one piece.**_

_**Capture him? He's a Maverick! What could the HQ possibly want with him?**_

_**I wasn't given the details, but it is a matter of utmost importance.**_

**_Have it your way._** She cut the communication abruptly and was soon distracted by two small explosions coming from ahead. A few small hornet mechaniloids had exploded next to the shrimp mechaniloid who was rushing toward the hornet-like reploid that was buzzing around him; it seemed like Blast Hornet was already forced to intervene.

That was way sooner than she had expected, but it couldn't be helped, she would need to think of a plan before the frenzied reploid could escape from them. **_Spider team, do you read me?_**

An annoyed reploid answered through her communicator. What is it?!

**_Web Spider, have you reached the forest yet?_**

Yes, but I can't get a clear check on this Maverick, he's just so damn fast; I need a diversion or something!

**_Are you sure that you can't do it on your own?_**

Tsk. Absolutely not.

The red hunter sighed and replied. **_All right, I'll think about something, remain on standby until you can get a clear shot. _**The Hornet team couldn't hold eternally, she had to get an idea very quickly; it is then, that she noticed her speeder that she had left nearby. She spoke to herself. **_You want a diversion? I'll give you a diversion._**

Zero started the speeder and gathered some speed before she headed toward the battlefield. As she arrived, she saw the red Maverick cut his way through three low class hunters while trying to get to the forest. She pushed the speeder to its highest speed and yelled. **_Get out of the way!_**

The hunters scrambled and the shrimp noticed her heading at full speed toward him, while he reached the closest trees; he sent one of his pincers, in a rocket-manner, at the speeder, which forced Zero to jump off the vehicle. The speeder was cut in half and exploded before the Maverick.

Suddenly, a large web made of electricity fell down from a nearby tree and caught the frenzied reploid in it. Zero raised her head from the ground and ordered. **_Hurry up, Blast Hornet!_**

The electricity seemed to have weakened the strange monstrosity and had allowed the second in command to reach it. A large dart appeared from his bottom and he stung the red Maverick with it; making it faint from the pain.

The red hunter managed to pull herself together and saw a large robotic spider that slowly fell down from the tree. **_Just in time, Web Spider._**

The reploid known as Web Spider said sarcastically. Yeah, I'm always so late.

The red hunter replied in a serious tone. **_I know someone who's pleading for another lecture, am I right?_**

No you aren't.

_**Great, I'm glad that we understand each others.**_

Tsk.

Blast Hornet came from behind her and said. _I'm sorry to disturb you, ma'am, but what are we supposed to do with the Maverick?_

_**The HQ wants us to bring him back; I don't know the details yet…**_

---

Back at the hunters HQ…

A female reploid entered the corridor; she was immediately followed by a group of rookie hunters with stun sticks that were leading a rather strange robot toward the detention sector. Further away, they found a blue hunter that was patrolling the corridor; the hunter smiled as he saw her, Zero knew fully well who that reploid was; so, she said. **_You go ahead, I'll meet up with you guys later. _**

The four reploids and the restrained Maverick disappeared toward the detention quarter, leaving both reploids alone. **_Hey, X!_**

The blue reploid answered. **Hey, Zero. How are you doing?**

_**Well enough, I've just come back from my last mission; we've managed to capture that big red guy that you just saw. **_

X looked rather happy for her, after all, she had awaited this promotion for a long time. **I'm glad to see that you're enjoying your new job… **He briefly stopped and couldn't help but laugh a little as he added. **Commander Zero.**

The red hunter wasn't that used to this title either, even though she had been looking forward to command her own unit, she still believed that she might have been the worst choice that they could have picked. She replied in a reproachful tone. **_I am very disappointed at your lack of respect toward your superiors, I'm gonna have to put this in my next report, A-Class hunter X._**

X just realized that she actually had the authority to punish him over such a small matter. **Hm… Huh…**

Zero made a large grin as she saw the blue reploid try to get himself out of this. _**Haha, just kidding X, you do know that I'm just badly suited for these kinds of things…**_

Relieved to hear this, X replied. **Really? I think that it suits you just fine…**

_**How? Besides pushing the rookies around and have them do all the work that I don't want to do, I don't see how I'm suited for that.**_

**That's exactly what I was talking about! Besides, you're getting a lot of opportunities to leave the Headquarter now.**

_**Yeah, I guess you're right… By the way, congratulation for you're A-Class, X; it was about time that they decided to re-class you.**_

**Thanks, Zero… But I'm starting to regret it; I wish that they had given me the S-Class so that I would get more chance to get on the field…**

Zero took her stance that she used to take when she was stating the obvious. **_Sweet A-Class, stuck with patrol and guard duties while all the others are having fun out there. I remember how much I wished that something dreadful would happen so that they would be forced to send me out. Though, I agree with you that it's rather strange that they haven't promoted you to a higher class... You've defeated Sigma twice after all._**

The blue hunter shrugged and said in a disappointed tone. **Well, they refuse to believe that I did it on my own.**

Zero replied in a compassionate way. **_That's too bad… _**She then remembered something that they had spoken about a few days ago. **_Have you thought about my idea to have you transferred to my unit?_**

**Yeah, I already went to check with the high command; apparently, they don't believe that we're the best influence for each others.**

**_Actually, they do have a point. Hehe! I gotta go now; I've got to see Mac about that speeder I blew up._**

The blue reploid appeared to be shocked as he asked. **Isn't that the second one this month?**

_**Nope, the third one.**_

**Oh! Mac is gonna be in such a foul mood!**

_**Bah, I'll just do as usual; nobody can remain angry with my cute self for long.**_

**Do you sometimes listen to yourself?**

**_Nope, see ya!_**

**Bye, Zero.**

**---**

Hangar 15…

Loud noises were coming from the speeder hangar, as the mechaniloids were busy doing the repairs, while the mechanics were supervising their works. Zero walked through the assembly part, and headed toward the room where they manually fixed the more fragile components.

She soon arrived near a dark room, from which a blue flame and blisters could be seen; inside this room, a dark purple reploid with a few parts of green was fixing a rather tricky component of an energy generator, he wore a metallic cyclopean visor on his eyes and seemed to be very absorbed in his work.

Unfortunately for her, Zero accidentally knocked down a strange instrument from a table, which then broke on the floor. The mechanic was disturbed by the sound of the glass breaking on the floor and turned off his torch; he went out of the room and found Zero that was trying to conceal the small instrument somewhere. The dark purple reploid spoke. **_Well, well; if it isn't the INFAMOUS Zero._**

Knowing perfectly well that she had been caught, the female hunter replied. **_I knew that I was called a lot of stuff, but it's the first time I hear about "Infamous"._**

_**Oh! But you seem to have acquired quite a reputation here. Five speeders in two months, that's the highest record we've had in years.**_

**_The first four were accidents…_**

_**Oh yeah? Let see: Accidentally hitting a Mettaur on a closed highway, have it crushed under a destroyed building…**_

**_Yeah, that was a rough day…_**

The mechanic didn't bother to listen to her and went on. **_The one that ended up in the ocean when you tested if it was waterproof…_**

**_Hey, nobody ever told me it wasn't._**

He reached a new pinnacle of anger as he arrived to the last one. _**Oh, and a classic, crashing it on the hangar door while you were bringing it for a routine check.**_

**_Mac, there's no need to be so mean about it, you know…_**

_**I'm not wasting my time on your speeder anymore, you're gonna have to wait until I get some time off.**_

_**Come on, just one last repair; I promise I'll be careful this time. Pleeeaaase?**_

The infuriated reploid called his arm cannon and aimed it at Zero. _**Get the hell out of here!**_

The red hunter didn't understood why he was making such a fuss about it, but she figured that she was better off not to tempt fate. **_All right, all right, no need to get so emotional about it._** Zero left the hangar and received a recorded message through her communicator; she was being recalled to the medical bay…

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Not too much to be said here, as this is merely a character development chapter and an excuse to introduce the members of the #0 Unit; which is quite confusing in its own way, as Magna Centipede was once a member of this unit and was destroyed during Megaman X2, while Zero was out of combat.

Since there is little proof about its existence prior Megaman X and the fact that the #0 Unit should have been disbanded when Zero died; I have assumed that it would make more sense that Zero would be put in charge of her own unit before Megaman X3.

We can also see a few loose cameos of Blast Hornet, Crush Crawfish, Mac and Web Spider; whom we may see again during the current plot.

Preview:

Within the hunters Headquarter, a large uproar is created as an unknown scientist has succeeded in creating a vaccine for the Maverick virus; this could mean the end of this whole conflict, which forces X and Zero to ponder on their own future since that the fighting might come to an end. Who is this mysterious scientist? What future does Zero hopes for? Next Chapter: The Maverick Vaccine.


	8. The Maverick Vaccine

Chapter 8

The Maverick Vaccine

Soon enough, Zero reached the medical center and found that many hunters, mainly officers, were gathered around a strange contraption. A large machine was installed above the Maverick that she had caught earlier, who was frenetically trying to free itself from its bonds. Beside that machine, an old reploid wearing a lab coat was sitting in front of a computer.

The female reploid had never seen this reploid before, his hairs were in the form of a long white fin pointing vertically; under which two furry brows could be seen, there were also strange conductive pods on his shoulders, from which long wires went down his back. The strange scientist was deeply absorbed by his work and hadn't noticed that she had arrived; he stroked his beard and typed something on his keyboard.

A tall officer wearing a black uniform noticed her, she vaguely remembered him from before the first Maverick revolt. His name was Signas, he used transmit orders and do errands for Sigma before he became a Maverick; the officer spoke. **Doctor Doppler, everyone is here, you may commence the experiment.**

The old reploid nodded and turned on the machine, and as a result, a large amount of energy began to gather within the contraption. The shrimp Maverick was starting to shake more violently as he noticed the electrified device above him; the red Maverick managed to free one of his legs. Zero instinctively reached for her saber and ignited it, but she was stopped by Signas, who ordered her to stay back.

It seemed like the machine was about to overload from the current, the Maverick had managed to free one of his claws and was desperately struggling to free himself. Suddenly, a large beam of electricity showered the red Maverick, who let out a loud scream as the energy coursed through his body. The machine stopped and the Maverick seemed to have remained conscious; he stood from the table on which he used to be tied to, and scanned his surrounding.

The female reploid was clinging to her saber as she watched the shrimp-like Maverick approach them. Strangely enough, the Maverick didn't seem to exhibit any violent behavior like he used to, he seemed to have drastically calmed down. The scientist stood from his chair and said. _It would seem that this experiment is a success, this reploid have been cured from the virus that caused his Maverick behavior._

Zero couldn't help but to ask. **_But... How?_**

The old reploid turned to her and continued. _I have studied the behaviors of the reploids who had turned Maverick, and I came to the conclusion that the usual dysfunctions weren't the only reason that caused them to go Maverick._

**My apology doctor, but is his state permanent?**

_Of course, the Maverick virus that was plaguing him is gone. I found out that the two last Maverick revolts were caused by a virus similar to a computer virus. It infects reploids without discrimination and creates Maverick behaviors in them. Now that I have succeeded on this particular subject, it is only a matter of time before I can find a more convenient mean to transfer the cure. In other words, the days of the Mavericks, are over!_

This last declaration had caused uproar within the room and Zero simply couldn't believe what she had just witnessed…

---

Training room...

Zero was undergoing a rather tricky simulation with her off-handed buster, ever since she had received those upgrades, she realized that she had become far more bulky and clumsy; she had been trying to figure out some way to cope with it, but with the decrease in Maverick activities, she couldn't do anything but simulations.

The new Maverick vaccine was proving to be quite effective and in the last weeks, the hunters had managed to root out most of the remaining Mavericks. As she was finishing her simulation, she heard footsteps from behind her and saw X that was waiting for her. The blue reploid greeted her. **Hi, Zero.**

**_Hey, X; what's up?_**

X answered. **Not much, I'm just here to fetch you for Theta; apparently, she got something to discuss with us.**

Zero replied. **_Fine, lead the way._**

As expected, they didn't have much to talk about since they had both been nailed to the base, because there weren't any serious missions for them to take care of. Rendered uncomfortable by the silence, X decided to ask. **So, what do you think that will happen to us, now that there are almost no more Mavericks to hunt? **

Zero had been trying not to think too much about it; she didn't want to face the fact that she would soon be useless to everyone around her. **_I don't know for you, but I figure that we'll find out soon enough. Personally, I prefer not to think about it._**

**Why?**

The female reploid answered with a sigh. **_You know, that's not like you're going to have any trouble finding something else to do, with that potential of yours. But as long as I can remember, I've been a Maverick hunter, the sword and shield of those who cannot defend themselves._**

Something about the way that she had voiced her concern seemed to bother X. **And your point is?**

_**My point is that fighting Maverick is the only thing that I know how to do; But now… Are they going to get rid of me or something?**_

**I don't think that they would get rid of you, I'm sure that you could...**

Zero interrupted him rather abruptly and went on. **_Look, it seems unlikely that the hunters will be needed anymore. You really should start thinking about what you're going to do, once that they disband the hunters..._**

---

Command Room...

After making their way inside the command room, both hunters approached their navigator. Theta then began. **_Hmm, you took your time, huh?_**

X replied. **I'm sorry, that's my fault; I figured that since you couldn't contact Zero, I would fetch her for you.**

**_Well, it doesn't really matter now; as of today, you're both given three weeks off._**

The female reploid couldn't help but to say in surprise. **_Repeat that again!_**

_**The high command has decided to give you a break; things have been a quiet these days and they figured that you hadn't been given any time off since former commander Sigma defected. You may do whatever you please, but you must report back in 21 days.**_

_**Wait a second?! Who's gonna take care of my unit?**_

The navigator continued. **_Blast Hornet has already agreed to replace you, and since we can't find him any more work for now, X is free as well._**

The blue reploid said. **Seems like everything will be fine then. I'm gonna be off, see ya!**

_**Bye, X.**_

Zero, seeing that X was leaving, decided to speak. **_I'll go make some plans of my own then. See ya._** She turned her back to her navigator and prepared to leave.

_**One more thing Zero...**_

_**What?**_

Theta explained. _**Even though the Headquarter gives you all the means and equipment to go wherever you want, this doesn't mean that you won't have to deal with Mac if you need a speeder...**_

_**No need for that; though, if at all possible, I'd like to borrow a transport copter to get me where I want to go and to bring me back once I'm done there. Do you think that you can arrange that?**_

_**I'll see to it, where do you plan to spend your vacation?**_

Not wanting to reveal too much, before she was actually sure that it was possible, Zero answered. _**That's a surprise, until then, see ya...**_

---

Zero room...

After two days of preparation, Zero was almost ready for her trip; after much reflection, she had decided to go and train in the desert. She had figured that if she was ever to get over her mobility problem, she would have to practice it in the worse conditions. Her room wasn't especially pretty, but she still kept it in an orderly and practical fashion.

Her regenerating bed was stuck on the right wall and she kept most of her equipment within a closet encased within the upper left corner of her room. A table stood between the bed and the currently opened door, on which a few mechanical components and tinkering equipment could be seen; she wasn't very good with anything that involved machinery, but she enjoyed tearing them apart so that she could understand how they worked and learn how to counter them. Though, she hadn't been able to work on this hobby of hers since a long time.

By the time that she was finishing her backpack, X saw her from the outside and entered. **How are you doing, Zero?**

The female reploid turned toward him and answered. _**Well enough, I'm finishing my preparations for my own trip.**_

**Oh, so you've found where you wanted to go?**

_**Yeah, I'm going to do some training in the desert. Some time alone should allow me to understand what's wrong with those upgrades of mine.**_

X asked quizzically. **Why train in the desert? You could do that at any time; don't you think it's a little strange to use your vacation to train?**

_**You may call it a hunch, but I've got a feeling that I must settle this as soon as possible. Anyway, what are your plans?**_

**Well... I thought that we could spend some time together with the humans, since that we barely saw any of them beside Doctor Cain... But since you already got plans, I guess that I'll go on my own.**

Not noticing the disappointment of the blue reploid, the female hunter continued her backpack. _**That's nice...**_

---

A few days later, a hornet-type copter had delivered Zero within the Desert of Dusk; she spent the following days surrounded by the sand and trained herself to improve her mobility in this harsh environment, Zero couldn't find what was wrong with her upgrades. She came to the conclusion that her approach might be wrong; maybe she should try to improve her current strength rather than trying to fix her weaknesses.

After a week and a half, an unusually violent storm rose during the night; the red hunter couldn't see clearly before her and the wind seemed to continually push her back from where she was headed. She soon yielded and decided to find a shelter until the storm calm down. Zero spotted a cave while she was struggling against the storm and took shelter there.

This cave wasn't especially large, but she didn't have time to be picky. After she set her portable energy generator, she fell into a deep slumber caused by the regenerative device.

The next morning, she woke only to find out that her surrounding had completely changed. It seemed as if she was within an abandoned complex, it was more than three times the size of the cave that she had just left and she could see a few metallic ramps above her. She gasped in surprise as she came to a grim realization; beside her, there was a lifeless reploid that was staring at her.

As she looked around herself, she saw even more of those battered reploids; none of them were alive, and whoever had done this, had left them in a terrible state. For some reasons, her eyes were drawn to her hands and she found out that a gloomy red liquid was falling from her hands. She knew what that was, it was blood, but how come that she... Zero shook her head as she was trying to get a hold of herself, the blood had disappeared and she was starting to wonder how she had arrived at such a horrible place.

She was sensing an imminent danger around her. The deads were staring accusingly at her, the darkness was becoming more pressing and threatened to swallow her; the constant stares made her more and more uneasy. How come that her hands had been covered in blood a few seconds ago? Where did it go? A few rays of light appeared from behind her, and she heard the sounds of footsteps from behind.

**_Huh?_ **She turned to see whatever that was behind her, but as she was about to find out, she lost consciousness.

She awoke a while later, back at the cave where she had sought refuge last night, the sand had covered most of the entrance and a few sunrays could be seen from beyond the sand. _**What was... that?**_

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yet another introduction to the Megaman X3 plot but let me assure you, you won't have to wait much longer before we get to the main plot.

In this particular chapter, it should be noted that the reason that Crush Crawfish went Maverick is a little warped from the actual reason that is given in the game; they say that Crush Crawfish was a reploid made for combat that couldn't make the difference between the enemies and his allies, making him a Maverick in some way.

We can also see the first appearance of Signas, who will eventually have a rather greater role than that of the random officer; the choice to introduce him now, was mainly because he has made a possible cameo within "The Day of Sigma" which I have referenced in this particular chapter.

Preview:

Zero return from the desert with even more questions than answers; but soon after she board her transport, she receives a recorded transmission, telling her to return to the hunters Headquarter. A viral outbreak has occurred, the Maverick Hunters are besieged by an unknown force and the rumors of traitors amongst the hunters only make the matter worse. Will Zero and X succeed to break the siege?


	9. Viral Outbreak

Chapter 9

Viral Outbreak

After setting the homing beacon, the female reploid made a shelter and waited for the hunters to pick her up. On the following day, a large hornet-type copter arrived, caused a sandstorm in his wake and destroyed Zero shelter in the process. The sand soon cleared around her and Zero saw a familiar blue reploid that was waving at her. The red hunter hurried to the blue reploid side and asked. **_X? Weren't you supposed to be with the humans?_**

X answered. **I came back early, so I thought that I might as well go to pick you up since I still had a few days off.**

**_Thank you, I guess… Anyway, I've seen enough sand for now; we'll be more comfortable to speak inside._** Both hunters boarded the transport. While entering, Zero noticed the same pilot that had brought her here in the first place. She greeted him and said. **_You're the same guy that brought me here, huh?_**

_That's right, pleased to see that you're safe ma'am. I will serve as your pilot for the duration of your trip._

**_Seriously, there's no need for such formalities, you're not even assigned to my unit, so you might as well call me Zero. To which unit and class do you belong?_**

_I'm a D-Class hunter, I used to belong to the 7th Division, but after that fuss with the Mavericks a while ago; I was delegated to transport duties._

**_A former member of Storm Eagle unit. Glad to see that we're in good hands._**

The pilot replied. _I'm happy to be of service; now, you should get to the back, it's gonna shake like hell in a minute._

The female reploid listened to the young hunter advice and joined X at the back of the transport; she sat on a bench, which was on the opposite side of X, and asked. **_So, X, how was your trip?_**

**It was great, it does help to get to know who we're fighting for, it helps see things with a renewed perspective. What's about yours? Did find what you were looking for?**

Zero paused for a moment and answered. **_Maybe, I feel that it wasn't as helpful as I had thought. But that's still an improvement._**

They discussed about their respective vacations and a few other things regarding the actual situation of the hunters. The sun was setting when they arrived near Able City; when they approached the city, their pilot called for them. _Hey! Could you both come here real quick?!_

When he arrived beside the pilot, X asked. **What's the matter?**

_I've just received an urgent transmission from HQ; do you want to listen to it now?_

**_Play it, it has to be real urgent if they must bother us during our time off._**

_Understood._ After five seconds of parasites-heavy sounds, a voice spoke through the communicator.

_**Attention all hunters! We've issued the red alert; all hunters are to fall back to the Headquarter! I repeat, all hunters get back to the Headquarter!**_

**Huh? A red alert?!**

_**How long before we reach the HQ?**_

_About half an hour… _

**_Make that fifteen minutes…_**

---

Near the Maverick Hunters HQ…

It was dusk when they arrived toward the HQ. Suddenly, the copter was heavily shacked and both hunters hurried toward the front of the copter to see what was happening. Zero spoke. **_What's happening?!_**

_Sorry, but something is shooting on us; there's a whole squadron of assault hornet-type copters before us, and there are many mores in the surrounding._

**Does that mean… Mavericks?**

**_Sounds like it… Can you get us near those things?_**

_I guess that I can pull this off, get to the drop tank and get ready for much turbulence._

The transport was soon heavily shacked and the hunters had to cling to their surroundings so that they wouldn't trip. A loud noise was heard and both hunters were dragged toward each sides of the transport. _**Be careful, dammit!**_

_Sorry, there's a whole lot of them… Watch out!!!_

A much more violent tremor occurred and X fell down and attempted to keep himself up by clinging to Zero, who was dragged along with him to the ground. The blue reploid still seemed in shock from the tremor and didn't seemed to be aware of the fact the he was still holding Zero. _**Hm… X?**_

**Huh?**

_**Would you mind to let me go?**_

The blue reploid seemed to be very embarrassed at what had just happened, and broke his hold of Zero rather quickly; then, the drop tank opened and the pilot shouted. _Get off quickly! I won't hold for much longer!_

**But… What about you?!**

_I'll be fine, just get off already!_

X looked at the red hunter, hoping that she would say something; but she simply replied with a nod, pushed him down from the copter and jumped afterward. The hunters were falling at a high speed toward the ground, X noticed a hornet copter that was just below him; he managed to cling to its surface and began to bombard it with his buster. Zero, seeing where X had landed, fired two lesser shots of buster to propel herself toward the front of copter.

The female reploid managed to get a hold of its mandibles and was now seeing the two reploids that were piloting it through the transparent red eyes of the copter; the pilots seemed to be frightened and were trying to shake them off. Zero drew her saber and cut through the façade of the copter, making the piloting consoles explode; the copter was now headed toward the ground. Fortunately for our two hunters, the copter absorbed most of the impact, leaving them relatively unharmed. Zero raised her eyes toward the sky to see if their pilot had made it, but this one seemed to have been caught in chase by a trio of assault copters and was desperately trying to get away; it was hopeless, the transport was shot down, much to the disarray of X and Zero.

The red hunter sighed and said. _**No point pondering over the dead right now, X, I will keep those guys busy while you go inside and look for survivors, ok?**_

**Alright…**

After X had left, Zero began to fire toward the closest copters and managed to shoot down a few of them. The main strike force was mainly comprised of Mechaniloids designed for war; they were nothing like anything that the female reploid had encountered before. After managing to rally a bunch of confused defenders, Zero headed toward one of the highest roofs and found a battered Blast Hornet surrounded by a great number of destroyed mechaniloids and hunters.**_Blast Hornet! Are you ok?_ **She ran to his side and then Blast Hornet spoke. _I'm fine ma'am, thanks…_

_**What is this whole thing all about, what happened?**_

_It was too sudden. We couldn't do anything, a viral outbreak occurred within Doppler Town; as we speak, the Mavericks must have broken through the inner defense perimeters. It's only a matter of time before we're overrun._

Zero looked more closely at his wounds and asked. _**Do you think that you can make it on your own?**_

_I'll be fine, ma'am, go ahead and destroy those bastards…_

The red hunter headed toward the nearest entrance, but as she was heading toward it, she heard loud buzzing sounds coming from behind her. She turned around, only to get thrown on the ground by the explosions of several small mechanical hornets. When she returned to her senses, she saw a targeting system lock onto her; it was originating from Blast Hornet, who was flying toward her at high speed. The hornet-like reploid attempted to impale her with his dart, but Zero rolled on her right side to avoid it. _**Blast Hornet?! What are you…**_

_Isn't it obvious ma'am? I'm trying to kill you._

The red hunter sliced through two hornets that her second in command had flung at her. _**You're with those Mavericks?! You've betrayed us?!**_

_I serve Doppler Army now; I have been shown the true future of the reploid race. Once I'm done with you, you too, will understand._

_**No way!**_ Zero fired two lesser blasts of buster at the traitor, who skillfully evaded them and readied his dart to attack her. Zero wasn't ready yet to defend herself, she was still confused about what was happening and was caught by another hornet flyer. Attempting to buy herself some time to recover, Zero rushed toward Blast Hornet with her saber in hand, the Maverick surrounded himself with his little flyers and sent them right back at her. _**Agh!**_

_It is futile; once I've dealt with you, the two greatest threats to my master rule will be removed._

A voice shouted from above them._Tsk! You always talked too much Hornet!_

_Huh?!_

A large electrical net caught him unaware and forced him to get rid of a few hornets to avoid it. A spider-like reploid descended from above with the help of a large cable going down from his bottom. _**Web Spider!**_

The hunter turned toward her and said. _About time that you showed up, woman! We're having a hard time handling this all on our own._

_Don't you ignore me!_ This time, Blast Hornet sent another hail of small explosive hornets toward the spider-like reploid.

_Get lost already!_ Web Spider sent another net that dealt with the hornets.

_Fine, I'll leave for now. Until then, I'll let Maoh take care of you!_

The hornet-like Maverick transferred away from the scene, letting Zero breath a sigh of relief_**Thank you Web Spider, you've really saved my back this time.**_

The spider reploid replied. _Be sure to remember that when time for promotions come up. Now, get moving, I've just received a request for help from the Hunters inside. The remaining defenders and me will handle things here._

**_You're sure that you can handle it?_**

_Hmph! Like I couldn't do it._

---

Upon further investigation of the HQ, Zero found it to be mostly cleared, except for the inner hangars; she was beginning to worry about X, if Blast Hornet had betrayed them, there were probably others that did so. Being as naïve as he was, X would probably get in trouble if she wasn't around to keep an eye on him. Even though the strength of the war machines of Doppler Army were far stronger that normal mechaniloids, they hadn't proved to be much of a threat for her.

Upon entering the command room, Zero found X imprisoned within a force field created by a strange mechaniloid; behind X, stood a purple reploid with a cyclopean visor, who seemed to be slightly annoyed by her interruption. The mechaniloid escaped to the ceiling and left the way clear between the purple reploid and the red hunter. **_X!_**

**Sound like I got some company heh heh heh!**

**_Mac, don't tell me that you went Maverick too!_**

**Hunters, Maverick, what's the difference really? I'm now a member of Doppler Army! I'm sick doing all the work for idiots like you, and now, I will finally be able to get rid of you.**

**_You've definitely turned Maverick; I won't have any qualms about ripping you in half._**

**Overconfident, huh?** Mac called his arm cannon to him, aimed at Zero and fired several small shots of plasma. The female reploid simply absorbed it with her arms and dashed toward Mac with her saber. **Hmph! Just luck!**

The former hunter began to charge his buster and sent a stronger blast at the female reploid, who was forced to temporarily interrupt her assault to avoid it. Zero began to charge both of her buster arms and asked. You call that a charged shot? Upon finishing her sentence, she fired two consecutive charged shots at Mac who succeeded to evade them.

**Damn!!!** Zero used this opportunity to get into melee range and began to swing her beam saber at the currently unbalanced reploid. Mac had an extremely hard time dodging those; unknown to her opponent, Zero had started to charge one of her buster arms in secret and fired a shot at point blank of the purple reploid. Mac was sent crashing into a wall, being left in a horrible state; the female reploid walked toward him and said.

_**Who's overconfident now? **_Not awaiting any reply, Zero drew her saber and sliced him in half. The red hunter jumped back to avoid the explosion and charged her buster once again. Once that she attained an acceptable level of charge, she destroyed the mechaniloid that had imprisoned X, effectively freeing him from the force field. **_Are you ok, X?_**

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Here we are, the very beginning of the Megaman X3 plot; though perhaps you may feel that little has been explained about the actual motives of Doppler Army or even what they are all about, I will be handling this issue very soon.

Preview:

After saving dealing with Mac and saving X, Zero came to the realization that an enormous mechaniloid was about destroy their base. She has to hurry, or else, the future of the Maverick hunters looks grim indeed. Who will be able to stop this rampaging mechaniloid? What does Dr.Doppler has to do with this invading force? Next chapter: The Next Mission.


	10. The Next Mission

Chapter 10

The Next Mission

Being freed by Zero from his confinement, X stood from the ground and said. **Thank you, I'm alright.**

The female reploid sighed and replied. **_Stop making me worry like that; I can't be everywhere at once._**

**Thanks for caring; I promise I'll be more careful.**

The red hunter shook her head in discouragement. **_Yeah, like I'm gonna fall for that lie again. Anyway, I'm gonna check around the base for any survivors; do you think that you can continue on your own?_**

**Definitely.**

Zero left X to his own business and checked to see if the invaders had been driven out of their base. Upon finishing her scouting, the red hunter headed toward a metallic door that leads to the outside. She soon noticed that Web Spider had been successful in driving out the invaders, in fact, it was awfully quiet. Zero hurried toward the remaining hunters and approached the spider reploid. **_Anything to report?_**

_Bah, we've driven them off easily enough; where were you all this time anyway? I couldn't stand to be ordered around by Blast Hornet!_

_**Well, actually, I was given some time off by the Headquarter and they left him in charge while I was gone. What happened to him anyway?**_

_Don't ask me, all I know is that he was spying on Doppler Town while you were gone. I knew that this guy was rotten to the core ever since I first saw him!_

_**Shut up! Do you think that I choose him randomly? If I ever doubted his judgment, I would never have appointed him in the first place!**_

Web spider eyes widened for a moment. _Hm…_

Zero continued. _**So, I won't tolerate any snide comments over this, understood?! **_The spider-like reploid pointed above her with his finger. _**What?**_

On the horizon, a giant mechaniloid built on metallic saucer was hovering toward their base; it was dark green in color with a large golden stripe going up from its belly to its shoulders, five power cores could be seen on its chest and two large electrified maces went down from its arms. Zero was stunned by the size of this new threat. _**T-That's Maoh?!**_

_Wake up, woman! What are we going to do about this monster?!_

_**I don't know! How the hell am I supposed to know how to deal with such a thing?!**_

_You're the highest ranked officer around here, you're the one who's supposed to give orders, so hurry up and think something up._

The female reploid mind rushed to find a solution, but couldn't think of anything powerful enough to stop that thing; she had to do something. _**Huh… … … Send some of your men toward the laser turrets to slow him down, I'm gonna head toward the highest location of the base and engage it myself.**_

_That's it, we're doomed._

_**Hey, if you got a better idea, speak.**_

Web Spider looked around and said. _Fine, do as you wish, but I won't be blamed if you manage to get yourself killed._

---

Moments later…

A lone hunter was sitting within the northeastern turret and was watching the gigantic mechaniloid approach from afar. The hunter received a transmission through his communicator and patched it to his ears. A whiny voice spoke. _Are you in position?_

_Yes sir! I'm awaiting your orders._

The voice continued with a tone of utter seriousness. _Listen up, do not fire until I tell you; we're going to concentrate the fire of the four main turrets on this abomination. Do not fire before I tell you, understood?!_

_Yes sir!_ The D-Class hunter went back to his watch. That thing sure wasn't pretty; it was advancing slowly, almost as if it was trying to intimidate them. The enormous mechaniloid soon entered his firing range, it seemed that the infernal machine had chosen his tower as its first target; the more it approached, the more his trigger was itching. The young hunter contacted his current commending officer and asked. _Sir! Can I get the authorization to fire?_

_No! Don't lift a finger until I tell you! Web Spider out!_ The mechaniloid was now dangerously close to the tower, the hunter could see the monstrous face of the mechaniloid through the glass. Now, fire!

At that moment, the four turrets concentrated their fire on the gigantic war machine, their energy blast bombarding its head mercilessly; but their firepower weren't strong enough, Maoh the giant lifted its electrified mace and obliterated the tower, ending the life of the young hunter in an instant.

---

Inside the Maverick Hunters HQ…

A large part of the ceiling had collapsed behind Zero, if she had been just a little slower, she would probably had been buried under the rubbles. _**Damn, he has already reached the turrets…**_ The female reploid quickened her pace, as she was heading for the higher levels of the base; there was no way that she would let that thing destroy their Headquarter. She especially hated the fact that she didn't had a slight idea of what was going on, who were those guys anyway?

A large tremor, followed by a loud noise, occurred; forcing Zero to run even faster to reach the roof. When she arrived at the last level, the sound of a heavy bombardment could be heard from afar. **_Almost there…_ **The strength of the bombardments heightened as she reached the door and slammed it open.

Upon her arrival, the giant mechaniloid smashed one of his maces on the battered structure; a lone reploid could be seen at a relatively safe distance from the mechaniloid, upon further examination, Zero realized that this reploid was none other than X. _**X?!**_

Much to her surprise, the giant seemed to be heavily damaged; the blue reploid wasn't even moving, he was simply aiming his buster for the war machine, who moved in for the kill. Maoh raised his left mace and X fired a large blast of blue energy on its head. For a moment, the machine stopped and large waves of electricity began to cover its body. _**No! X, it's gonna blow up!**_

That idiot hadn't even realized that he was dangerously close to the mechaniloid and that he would probably get caught in the explosion. **Huh? Zero?** The red hunter dashed to X side and forced him to take cover. The large mechaniloid blew up in a storm of flame and molten metal; large chucks of metals fell near them, while they were still taking cover from the debris. Soon, the rain of metal stopped and allowed them to stand. A relieved X spoke. **Whew… That was close.**

Zero burst in anger. _**You idiot! What were you thinking?! It's suicidal to remain near anything that's about to blow up!**_

**I guess I overdid it, sorry…**

If Zero hadn't been so glad that this mechaniloid was gone, she would probably had hit him, but she refrained herself. She asked. _**How did you manage to destroy that thing anyway? The turrets couldn't hold it back…**_

**I took several simulations after dealing with an older model. Those things are strong and heavily armored; but they are also very slow and their armor is thinner on the head, so you just have to blast them at the right place and they'll be helpless.**

The red hunter had troubles to admit it, but X had become quite experienced in the last years; since that she was always saving him from troubles; she had never really noticed that he had become stronger. _**T-That's right… Let's hurry up and catch up with the others, I'd like to know who's behind this attack.**_

---

Maverick Hunters Command Room…

The next morning, the high command scheduled a briefing for the hunters, so that they could better explain the situation to those who had made it through the night. The hunters ranks had been severely thinned, all the remaining hunters were gathered within the command room. Zero had been watching from a corner of the room, while Theta prepared to give an update on the situation to everyone.

The female navigator began. _**As you all well know, last night, an unknown force has attacked us. Following these events and the sudden disappearance of many of our members, the high command has concluded that this was the work of Mavericks…**_

Before Zero, stood a male and a female hunter that had begun to talk to each other. The male one said. This doesn't make any sense; the vaccine has eliminated most of the Mavericks…

The female one said. _I heard that this is the work of Doppler army._

Maybe, but why would Dr. Doppler…

Theta interrupted them. _**Ahem!**_ Upon hearing her, both hunters immediately stopped and looked elsewhere. _**As I was saying, this was caused by a viral outbreak that occurred within Doppler Town…**_

X, who had been listening this whole time, asked. **Do you think that Dr. Doppler has anything to do with this?**

The female reploid replied. _**I can't say for sure, but we've heard from several sources that this is the work of Doppler army. Therefore, we've assumed that Doppler gathered many reploids to his side with promises of a Maverick free society and released the virus within Doppler Town…**_

**You can't possible mean that he…**

Theta interrupted him and continued into a more serious tone. _**That's the official version.**_

Many hunters started to whisper between themselves and Theta seemed to be unable to keep any order within the room. Zero loudly asked. _**What about the vaccine?!**_

_**Huh?**_

_**The Maverick vaccine, wasn't it supposed to keep reploids from turning Maverick? Is it still safe to use it?**_

_**The scientists are working on that as we speak, but until further notice, this vaccine shall be treated as dangerous.**_

A voice from the back of the room spoke. _What about those rumors of traitors within the hunters?_

The female reploid attempted to find the source of this question, but to no avail. _**It is true that some of our hunters were consorting with the Mavericks…**_

_**How many are we talking about?**_

_**We do know that Blast Hornet and Mac are involved in this attack; we've also lost contact with Gravity Beetle and Squid Adler, their status are currently unknown at the moment.**_

**Then, what do the high command expect of us?** Many voices joined X as they also wondered about what would be their next courses of action.

The red hunter spoke again. _**I don't know for you, but I'd rather be the hunter than the hunted; we're just a sitting duck if we stay here and do nothing.**_

_**I was coming to this, since that the evidences are pointing in that direction, we're going to make several guerrilla attacks on Doppler Town, until we can fully muster our forces for an all out attack. Any volunteers?**_

The room went silent and no hunter seemed to be enthusiastic about fighting their way through Doppler Town. Suddenly, X stepped forward and said. **I'll go.**

_**Alright, any other?**_

Zero approached toward them and said. _**Getting into Doppler Town won't be that easy, my unit will keep Doppler Town defenses busy, while X will sneak inside.**_

_**Great…**_

A dragon-like reploid steeped forward and said. **The 14th Unit will assist the Zero Unit in this battle.** This reploid looked like a red and white dragon with humanoid features, his head was reptilian in shape and two spike sprouted from each sides of his head; this reploid wore a necklace of emerald spheres, his shoulders and his foots were awfully similar to claws.

_**And you are?**_

Theta spoke while the dragon-like reploid and Zero were locked in a starring contest. _**This is Magma Dragoon, he's the leader of the 14th Unit, he came back after receiving our emergency broadcast.**_

Not faltering under the gaze of the dragon reploid, Zero said. _**The leader of the famous melee unit, huh? This is going to be fun, welcome aboard.**_

**_Then, it's settled, the operation begins at sunset…_**

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As you've probably noticed, I have a little problem about the fact that certain bosses are so easy within the game while they should be really hard, hence why Maoh seemed to be far more powerful that its in-game incarnation; that's pretty much the same problem with the buster, who is so insanely powerful in the cutscenes, while it only does moderate damage in the game.

I've also added a new member to the cast, in the person of Magma Dragoon, whom will be more prominently featured in subsequent chapters.

Also, I've wanted to precise this a little while ago, though, I always forgot to mention it; even though this FanFiction is rated Action/Romance, the romance part isn't intended to be the prominent feature in the early chapters. The rating pretty much speaks for itself, the romance is but a secondary aspect of this Fic; but have no fear, something is planned in that regard, just be a little more patient.

Preview:

At sunset, both Maverick Hunter Units are sent to retaliate against Doppler Town; but its defenders aren't to be taken lightly. Doppler forces are constituted mainly of war machines and Dr. Doppler own creation. Will Zero succeed in distracting Doppler army long enough for X to dismantle their fighting strength? Will Zero and Magma Dragoon survive the coming battle? Next Chapter: Battlefield 21XX.


	11. Battlefield 21XX

Chapter 11

Battlefield 21XX

It hadn't taken long for the hunters to arrive to their destination; in a single hour, both the Zero Unit and the 14th Unit had broken inside Doppler Town. Zero was surrounded by her hunters, between the walls of two half-destroyed buildings; after making sure that the way was clear, Zero gestured to two of her hunters to follow her as she hurried toward the closest building.

Upon reaching her destination, the female reploid ordered the remaining hunters to split into three teams; two of them were sent in the two remaining directions, while the last group was sent to the top of the building. Zero approached the end of the alley and attempted to decipher the shape of potential enemies within the darkness, she soon saw four pairs of blue lights that were patrolling the square outside the alley.

The female reploid quietly spoke to her fellow hunters. **_That must be it; there're at least four of them guarding the second checkpoint._**

One of the two hunters replied. _I still can't believe that we haven't encountered any resistance since we arrived…_

The other one asked. **What are your orders, ma'am?**

Zero opened the private channel through her communicator and asked. **_Are you guys in position?_**

**Yes, we're awaiting your orders.**

_**Count to fifteen before firing and aim for the blue lights.**_

The red hunter nodded at the two hunters around her and ran toward the square. Zero ran through the square and met one of the tall green humanoids with her saber, causing the three remaining robots to raise their weapons toward her; the two hunters followed her and began to fire on the unsuspecting robots. The head of those mechaniloids were located on their chests and they had a laser arm grafted on their left arm.

Zero took her saber out of her mark and dashed toward the second one that had just fired a blue beam in the direction of her two underlings; she sliced off his left arm, finished it with a diagonal slash and heard a loud scream from behind her. **Argh! **One of the two remaining machines had shot down one of her men, while the hunters realized that their weapons were useless against those mechaniloids. After noticing the demise of the unfortunate hunter, a volley of missiles rained on the two remaining robots, which were destroyed in the process. Zero said. **_Wait a minute, something's wrong…_**

Indeed, a large red version of these mechaniloid came out of the nearest alley and was dangerously close to Zero. This particular model head was made out of metal and had a cyclopean eye in its middle, from which the female reploid saw a bright orange light appear. The red hunter fired a lesser blast of buster at the mechaniloid, which blew up a part of its head and revealed the same blue eyes as those of the previous models. The Red Guard grabbed and raised her above the ground; Zero could hear the metallic tingling of the mechaniloid targeting system locking onto her as it raised its laser arm.

Fearing for her life, the female reploid charged her buster and began to see the blue energy gathering within the mechaniloid arm; upon finishing to charge her buster, Zero aimed for the robot head and fired a last desperate shot. By a fortunate turn of event, the shot had been enough to shut down the mechaniloid. Once she freed herself from the mechaniloid, the red hunter saw another volley of missiles head toward the last hunter that she had brought with her. **_Look out!_**

_Huh? N-noooo!_ The projectiles had hit their mark and exploded along with the unfortunate hunter.

Zero took cover from another volley of missiles that was now heading toward her and contacted the group of hunters that she had posted on the rooftop. **_Respond! What are you doing?!_** But there was no response, another bombardment had occurred within the square while she was attempting to contact them. Under the cover of the smoke, the two remaining groups that she had sent in different directions entered the square and began to fire toward the rooftops of the nearby buildings. After rejoining with her forces, Zero saw a great number of red frog-like mechaniloids, with a missile launcher and two mortars implanted in their heads, fire several projectiles from the rooftops.

**_Dammit! It's a trap!_** Zero and her hunters returned fire to the mechaniloids and together; they managed to destroy a hefty amount of them. This skirmish wasn't without casualties, but the hunters managed to repel the mechaniloids and were able to capture the checkpoint.

It would appear that the hunters that she had sent on the rooftop had been ambushed by the mechaniloids and were overwhelmed by their sheer numbers. **_Hurry up guys! We're going for the fourth checkpoint!_**

---

Somewhere between the second and fourth checkpoint…

After they left the second checkpoint, the hunters encountered more and more resistance as they steadily progressed within the heart of Doppler town. As they advanced through a large street that was surrounded by skyscrapers, a group of concealed mechaniloids left the structures and charged toward them. The group of hunters fired toward the mechaniloids, their energy projectiles tearing through the metallic layers of the now electrified machines. A small number of laser turrets mounted on two mechanic legs arrived from their rear and the hunters were forced to divide their fire between both groups of enemies and eventually managed to overcome their foes.

The Zero Unit had suffered a lot of casualties and was constantly dwindling as the female reploid continued to push them toward their destination. They soon reached the fourth checkpoint and were greeted by the heavy steps of large mechaniloids that soon cornered them.

Those particular models were red in color, and carried two large launchers that were loaded spiked balls that they swung around with the help two sturdy chains; they were mounted on two metallic foots that carried their massive build around. The green eyes of the mechaniloids were staring at them as they attempted to crush them with their spiked projectiles; Zero had no choice but to use her saber to get through their thick armor. Even though most of her men had proved powerless against those war machines, the red hunter had been able to even the odds and succeeded in destroying every last of their opponents.

Even though she was loathe to admit it, her hunters weren't ready to face an organized fighting force such as Doppler Army; those machines were totally different from anything the hunters had encountered before. Zero couldn't believe her bad luck as she heard the sound of a copter propeller coming from above her. **_Spread out! Quickly!_**

A green bug-shaped copter descended upon them and severed the arm of one of her hunter with a spinning buzz saw that was located at the end of its tail. This agile contraption was kept in the air with the help of two spinning propellers that were located on its back and had two arms with large spikes instead of hands. The red hunter charged both of her buster arms and attempted to shot down the hellish copter. But it was no use, she couldn't even get through its armored plating and it was too fast for her to slash it with her saber.

Zero yelled as the copter was making another descent toward them. **_It's no use! Go and meet up with the 14th Unit while I lure it away from you!_**

The other hunters didn't had any second thoughts and left as quickly as possible, leaving the female reploid to be pursued by the ravaging war machine. Zero ran as fast as she could and had a hard time evading the spinning buzz saw of the copter. She contacted Web Spider through her communicator and loudly asked. **_Web Spider! Is the trap ready?!_**

The leader of the spider team answered. _No, it's not; why do you ask anyway?! We haven't even engaged their main forces yet!_

**_Get it ready on the double!_**

_What do you have in mind? And why do I get the feeling that I won't like it?_

**_Just do it!_**

Zero dashed from a nearby wall to avoid the large spikes that were getting dangerously close to her. The female reploid managed to evade the constant assaults of the copter and reached a tight alley, she ran through it as fast as she could; when the copter reached it; it was caught in an EMP shockwave that was created by several devices that were implanted on the wall, the bug-like contraption overloaded and crashed on the ground.

Zero stopped to gather her wits and was surprised by a large spider-like reploid that was hanging with the help of long cable. _You've wasted such a valuable EMP trap on a simple assault copter? Are you that eager to get us all killed, woman?_

**_It doesn't seems to be such a waste when you're the one who's running for your live… Anyway, we're going to meet up with the 14th Units; gather your men and we'll be going._**

_I swear that someday you're gonna get me killed…_

---

Around the third checkpoint…

Upon its arrival at the third checkpoint, the Zero Unit met with their fellow hunters and Zero went to discuss their current situation with Magma Dragoon.

The leader of the 14th Unit spoke. **Good, you've made it; I was starting to wonder if you would show up at all…**

The female reploid interrupted him and said. **_Cut the small talk and tell me about your current situation._**

**It isn't as easy as I had expected, two of Doppler creations have been severely hampering our progress, and we haven't been able to break through their secondary defense lines. I also suddenly lost contact with two of my teams, I don't know what happened to them, but I can only imagine the worst.**

Zero didn't like the fact that Doppler had succeeded to create reploids that were able to hold their own against the famous melee unit. **_Got any info on those two reploids?_**

The dragon-like hunter answered. Y**es, one of them is a swift golden reploid carrying a shield and the other is a large red reploid of great strength. They seem to be the ones that are in charge here.**

_**Is there anything that we can do to help?**_

**I was about to rejoin my men on the frontline, want to join me with your team?**

**_You bet!_**

---

Many hours and mavericks later…

In the last hours, Zero and Magma Dragoon had managed to carve themselves a path through Doppler Army and succeeded to eliminate a great part of their fighting forces; but the commanders of the opposing army were nowhere to be found…

**I don't understand… They seems to be less organized than before you arrived, I wonder what could have happened…**

Zero replied. **_Did you see any of those two reploids that you mentioned before?_**

**No, that's what bothers me the most. I wonder what could have been more important than repelling our assault.**

**_They must have gotten afraid and ran back to their master._**

Magma Dragoon continued. **Let us hope that you're right. I must say that I'm quite impressed with you and your unit; I rarely saw any hunters that were able to keep up with us.**

**_I gotta say that you guys aren't that bad either._**

Suddenly, Zero heard a loud beep within her head that meant that someone was attempting to contact her. She accepted the transmission and answered. **_Zero here._**

Theta spoke in a panicked tone. **_Zero! Prepare to get transferred to the Army Base at once!_**

**_Wait a minute! What's going on? Don't you know that we aren't done with Doppler Army yet?_**

**_We've lost contact with X! You must investigate and rescue him immediately!_**

The female reploid had completely forgotten about this, X had been sent on his own, she quickly replied. **_I understand! Transfer me at once!_**

**_Get ready for transfer…_**

The red hunter said to Magma Dragoon. **_Sorry, I have to leave immediately; do you think that you can handle things here?_**

**Don't worry, the only time that the 14th unit will ever surrender any ground, will be when there isn't any of us left alive.**

**_Ok, I'm counting on you guys; I will inform my team that you are now in charge…_** While she was finishing her sentence, Zero was transferred to the so-called Army Base…

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Not much plot development in this chapter, but it does serves its purpose of telling what Zero was doing while X was busy fighting Dr. Doppler Mavericks. We can also see a reference to the famous bug boss that first gave X the opportunity to truly use one of Zero weapons.

Preview:

As Zero rushes to save X from whatever fate has befallen him, an unknown hand is pulling strings from behind the scene. Within her path, Zero will encounter a foe that will forcer her to use all of her skills to survive. What happened to X? Who is this foe that awaits her within the Army Base? Next Chapter: A Meeting of Old Friends.


	12. A Meeting of Old Friends

Chapter 12

A Meeting of Old Friends

Through Zero communicator, Theta had just finished to explain the details of X disappearance. The female navigator said. **_So, you understand your mission? You are to rescue X and bring him back at all cost._**

Zero answered. **_Alright, I'm beginning the mission._**

Her navigator had been quite vague about the circumstances of X disappearance; apparently, he had succeeded in his two last operations and had been transferred to his next target, the Army Base; from that point, the hunters were no longer able to maintain any kinds of communication with him. Since that X hadn't been heard from since a long time, the Headquarter got worried and contacted her right away.

The female reploid knew fully well the gravity of the situation, competent hunters were hard to come by these days and they didn't even knew the full extent of Doppler power. Zero felt partly responsible about this situation, she shouldn't had allowed him to go on his own; she had probably been blinded by the fact that X had managed to defeat this giant mechaniloid, prior to the assault of Doppler Town.

The red hunter had no problem to infiltrate the first part of the base, as X had already cleared a part of the defense forces. She soon reached a large hangar that contained many hornet assault copters; this particular hangar bore the signs of combat, as Zero could clearly burn marks on the wall and several large stains that she assumed to have been caused by X. **_I don't like this one bit…_**

The female reploid soon met a fierce resistance in the form of small purple mechaniloids, with mortars implanted in their heads, along with different models that were equipped with two missile tubes inside their mouths. There were many crates within the courtyard of the Army Base, and many hangars could be seen from afar. Zero noticed that one of them had a part of its wall missing; Zero took a few steps inside it and saw the content of the crates that she had previously encountered.

These crates were being loaded with freshly built mechaniloids. **_Just great, those bastards are already manufacturing their reinforcements._**

Upon leaving the hangar, Zero took a wrong step and fell down below; she attempted to reach a wall to slow her fall, but wasn't able to reach any of them. After a rather painful landing, the room was spinning before her eyes and had she a hard time remaining on her two legs; she fell on one knee and heard a voice, that wasn't louder than a whisper, that called for her. **Zero…**

The red hunter was still too confused to clearly understand what the voice was saying, she slowly walked toward the origin of that voice and came upon a small robot, that could have been easily mistaken for a human boy if it hadn't been for a strangely old arm cannon on its left arm; this small robot was blue in color, with a lighter shade of blue on its chest and legs, he wore an helmet that was covering all his head but his face. This robot seemed to be suffering from grievous wounds and was barely stood on his knees. Zero somehow recognized this reploid, but couldn't remember who he was, the female reploid saw a great deal of fear in his eyes as she approached him; he painfully raised his arm cannon toward her and spoke more clearly this time. **Zero!**

She succeeded to gather her wits and immediately recognized that voice, it was X, but what was this small reploid doing there? She blinked for a moment and realized that the blue robot was gone, and that a wounded X was now standing in its place. **Are you ok, Zero?**

The female reploid shook her head and answered. **_I guess… I must still be a little dizzy from the fall… Anyway, are you hurt?_**

X replied. **I've seen better days… Thanks for the concern, but are you doing here?**

**_The HQ got worried after they realized that you weren't coming back, so they sent me to rescue you; what happened?_**

The blue reploid explained. **Doppler has jammed the air waves, I wasn't able to contact them ever since I entered this place; I risked it anyway and I was ambushed by one of Doppler creations…**

The red hunter interrupted him and quizzically asked. **_What did he look like?_**

**It was a golden reploid wearing a shield, he claimed to be part of a group called the Nightmare Police, and that he had been ordered to destroy me; I barely defeated him, but I couldn't destroy him.**

**_This explains a lot…_**

The blue hunter asked. **Aren't you supposed to be creating a diversion within Doppler Town?**

_**Magma Dragoon stayed behind to take care of that, but there's something extremely wrong about what you've just mentioned.**_

**What do you mean?**

Zero replied. **_Apparently, this reploid you've mentioned and another one were causing a lot of trouble to the 14th unit, and they seem to have suddenly vanished during the battle._**

**You mean that they left Doppler Town, only to deal with me?**

**_Maybe… You'll have to be extra careful from now on, we still don't know what Doppler don't know what have up his sleeve… Anyway, we'd better get out of here very quickly._**

**That's a problem… The pitfall is now closed and there's no other exit from here…**

**_I can fix that._** Zero went back toward the trap, in which she fell earlier, and charged her buster to its limit. **_Stay back!_**

The female reploid fired two large blasts of energy toward the exit, but was surprised to see that her buster wasn't strong enough to get through the metallic hatch. **See, that's the whole problem…**

_**Are you sure there isn't any other exit?**_

**Well… Maybe there is, but… Follow me, I'll show you something.**

X lead her toward a tall gold and purple capsule that was standing in the middle of the room. **_Did you try it?_**

**No, I have a bad feeling about this thing, I couldn't decide whether or not I should use it…**

Zero took a closer look on the capsule and discovered that it was actually a teleporter. _**I guess that it can get us out of here, but isn't it suspicious that there's a pitfall in the middle of nowhere and that the only way to get out of it, is through this capsule?**_

**My point exactly.**

**_Even if we did managed to get out of here, we wouldn't even know where this thing would take us; it could take us anywhere, even in a trap set by Doppler Army._**

**So, what are we supposed to do?**

The red hunter carefully pondered her options and said. _**Let's take these problems one at a time… First, this capsule.**_ She charged her buster and fired on the capsule, which immediately exploded under the impact.

**Why did you do that?**

**_I don't trust that thing, I'd rather be stuck here than deliver us right in Doppler hands._**

**Then how are we going to get out?**

A loud mechanical noise came from the entrance and the hunters hurried to investigate its source. With the capsule gone, the trap was disarmed and the exit opened above them. _**Let's go…**_

**Hm… Zero?**

**_What?_**

**_I don't think that I can make it there… I think that my legs got damaged in the fall…_**

She had completely forgotten about it, the blue reploid had been heavily damaged by his confrontation with Doppler creation and had also managed to get injured during the fall.

_**I'll think something up once I'm out of here.**_ Zero dash jumped from walls to walls until she reached the surface; she looked around and found a large cable, which she used to lift the blue reploid out of the hole.

X said. **Whew… Thanks, I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't been there.**

**_You're welcome… Now, I'm gonna get you back to the transfer point so that you can get some repairs…_**

**I think that I can make it on my own. But… Would you mind finishing this mission for me? It would be a waste to have went so far, only to leave them enough time to rebuild their defenses…**

**_Fine, I'll do it, but you're sure that you can make it?_**

**The way is clear back there, I'll be fine. See you back at the Headquarter.** X was about to leave when he suddenly paused. **Zero?**

**_What?_**

**Be careful… There are many powerful Mavericks aligned with Doppler… I'd hate to see something happen to you…**

**_Thanks, I guess…_**

The blue reploid left and the female reploid was left to her own devises. Deeper in the courtyard, Zero encountered a large black transport that beared an insignia, that looked like a metallic star with a green 'D' in its middle; a large number of flying mechaniloids appeared from afar and began to load the crates within the transport. _**Dammit! If they manage to load those crates, we'll have yet another army to deal with!**_

The female reploid began to destroy the mechaniloids that were loading the crates and had a hard time keeping up with their pace. Zero had already destroyed twenty crates when the mechaniloids finally gave up and the black ship flew away from the base. _**I'll have to warn X and the others about this ship, we cannot afford to have that thing running around indefinitely.**_

Zero finally reached the command center and entered the door that led to the main computer. Much to her surprise, a large hornet-like reploid was already waiting for her. _**Blast Hornet!**_

The former hunter couldn't help but laugh at the situation. _How ironic that you are the one they've sent after me... May I assume that X has been disposed of?_

**_So you're the one who has set up this trap? You hoped that X would enter the capsule and fall right into your hands._**

_Heh heh heh! No, I'm afraid that I can't take the credit for this operation; neither I, nor Dr. Doppler are involved in this ploy._

**_Then, who did?!_**

The Marverick answered. _You'd like to know, don't you? Let's just say that an old… friend of yours is quite eager to see you again. I must admit that I am indeed very fortunate to be given the honor of exterminating you before he does; after all, you are the one whom I have to thank for opening my eyes to the true future of the reploid race._

_-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

In this chapter, we have yet another alternate storyline that come in conflict with the plot of Megaman X3. Canonically, X was the one that dealt with Blast Hornet and may or may not have entered the capsule, whom were actually located within Blizzard Buffalo, Crush Crawfish and Volt Catfish stages; I always found it quite strange that within Crush Crawfish stage, there was absolutely no visual obstacles preventing you to get out of the trap, except for the fact that the screen simply didn't allow you to climb back to the regular stage. As for what Zero actually did when he wasn't helping X, is still not mentioned within the series, though I assume that he might have stayed behind to protect the Maverick Hunters HQ from any further Maverick attacks. I haven't actually been able to figure out what was the true purpose of the black transport that was loading crates within the Army Base, though, I assume that it may have had an influence on the models of mechaniloids that you encountered during the remaining stages before Doppler Lab.

Preview:

Fate seemed to have a rather strange sense of humor; Zero was pitted against her former second in command; not only does she have to face an opponent that she doesn't want to fight, but she will soon discover that she is the very reason that he turned Maverick in the first place. Will Zero be able to reason the former hunter? Or will she have to destroy him as a Maverick? Next Chapter: Those Who Remain Behind.


	13. Those Who Remain Behind

Chapter 13

Those Who Remain Behind

Shocked by this sudden revelation, Zero said. **_You're talking nonsense; I have nothing to do with what happened to you._**

The current situation seemed to be slightly amusing Blast Hornet, he continued. _Is that so? Tell me, where were you when the Maverick virus spread through Doppler Town? Where were you when they decided to send someone to spy on Doppler Town?_

**_I was on training; I can't be responsible for something that happened while I wasn't there!_**

The hornet reploid asked. _Really? What if you hadn't left for this "training" of yours and had remained at the HQ? Our unit is renewed for its skills in guerrilla warfare and stealth capabilities; they certainly wouldn't have picked me, Blast Hornet, the lowly underling; if they had the opportunity to send the mighty Zero on this all important mission. What if you got captured by Doppler Army in my place? Would things have turned differently?_

_**I won't fall for this trick! I made you an officer because I believed that you had enough common sense to do it; you knew that this was a dangerous assignment; you shouldn't have attempted to do it, if you didn't believe that you could do it!**_

_Really, Zero? Would you have second guessed your orders?_

**_Hm…_**

_Heh heh heh! Just as I thought, you've always been such a docile hunter. Fortunately, I am now free from those outdated concepts such as loyalty._

The female reploid was angry at him, he was just being manipulated and he didn't even realize it. _**Dammit Blast Hornet! Wake up! You're not free of anything; Doppler is just using you for this little scheme of his!**_

_Really Zero? I wonder who is using who? What did the hunters or the humans ever did for you? I'll tell you what; nothing! There are all cowering within their holes while the peoples like us are risking their lives for them!_

_**You're lying, they're not like that!**_

Blast Hornet went on. _You have died for them, and you didn't even receive any gratitude for it. This is what you call justice? This world you live in is so plainly a fabrication!_

_**Stop that… You're not yourself; come with me, I'm sure that we'll find a way to cure you from this virus, don't throw away your life for a madmen like Doppler.**_

_It is you, who need to be cured from all of those illusions in which you put so much faith in._

_**Then… Then, you leave me no choice…**_ Zero reached for her saber and ignited it.

_I will crush this illusionary world of yours, and then, I shall bring you back as a trophy to Dr. Doppler!_

The red hunter dashed toward her enemy, with her saber in hand, and attempted to stab him. The hornet-like reploid flew away and shot a few hornet mechaniloids at her. Zero sliced through the mechaniloids and resumed her assault on the maverick, only to find out that his targeting system had already locked onto her. The rogue hunter began to fire many mechaniloids at her, which swiftly surrounded her; the female reploid attempted to get rid of all of them, but one of them managed to get a hold of her back; Zero tried to shake it off, but the mechaniloid stung her with his dart and self destructed afterward. _**Aghhh!**_

Her armor had been able to absorb a part of the impact; but it had managed to disable her spare buster arm. Seeing that another swarm of hornets was heading toward her, Zero traded her saber for her remaining buster arm and attempted to get through them with several buster shots, she succeeded and sent a lesser charge at Blast Hornet, who flew away from the energy shot. The targeting mark disappeared from her and the Maverick flew toward her with his dart ready to impale her. She couldn't evade it; the sting buried itself deep within her disabled arm, with Blast Hornet still at its end.

_**Ugh!!!… … You've… You've just… made a huge mistake…**_

Even with the pain spreading through her arm, Zero got a hold of her saber with her other arm and inflicted a grievous wound to the section under his abdomen. The Maverick was forced to get away from her momentarily; the female reploid could now see waves of electricity course within the wound.

_Hmph! That's what I always hated about you; you're so full of yourself! I'll show you just how meaningless your bravardo really is._

By now, her left arm was completely paralyzed and Blast Hornet was sending yet another swarm of small hornets toward her. The red hunter now had little choice but to use her saber to defend herself, and after she dealt with the small flyers, Zero then lodged her saber within his wound. She wasn't able to land another blow, as the now severely damaged reploid made as much distance between him and her as he could. Yet another targeting mark locked onto her and the small mechaniloids soon closed onto her, Zero broke through the circle.

_**Ahyahhh!**_ The female hunter severed the Maverick right arm from his body; the former hunter was flying confusingly in the air and was soon fatally stabbed in the chest by Zero.

Sensing that death was coming for him, in his last words, Blast Hornet said. _I… I f-failed…_Zero took out her saber and ran away from the body that soon exploded behind her.

_**You idiot… Why did you force me to do this?…**_

---

Maverick Hunter HQ…

X was waiting around the medical bay, from which he had undergone repairs a few hours ago. He hoped that he wouldn't have to come back here so early, but he had heard that Zero was severely damaged from her trip within the Army Base. He was very worried about her, since he hadn't been told the exact gravity of her wounds; he wouldn't be able to forgive himself if something had happened to her. A few moments later, a loud signal was heard from inside and Zero came out of the medical bay. X rushed to her side and called her name. **Zero!**

The female hunter greeted him in an unenthusiastic tone. **_Hey…_**

**What happened? Are you alright?**

**_I suppose I'm alright…_**

X asked again. **What happened back there?**

Zero paused for a moment and said. _**I fought a Maverick… I must have overdone it…**_

**Are you sure you're ok? You're a little… Strange.**

_**I'm fine. Let's just get away from here… This place gives me the creeps.**_

As they were walking toward the quarters, the blue reploid sensed that something must have been bothering Zero; she was awfully quiet compared to usual, in fact, she was barely speaking at all. They arrived toward the last corridor that led to their quarters and X stopped; the female reploid continued to walk, not even paying any attention to the fact that he wasn't following her anymore. He asked. **Something is bothering you… I can tell.**

Zero stopped, her back still turned on the blue hunter. She wasn't saying anything. __

**If you want to talk…**

The red hunter hesitated for a moment and spoke. _**X… You were a close friend of Boomer Kuwanger, is that right?**_

**Yes, I was.**

Zero continued. **_You two fought… When he turned Maverick, is that right?_**

Still wondering what this had to do with any of this, X answered. **Yes.**

_**How did it happen?**_

**I was sent on a mission to free the Fortress Tower within the middle of Able City, apparently, one of Sigma minions had captured the tower as a symbol of the Mavericks dominance over the city… I made my way to the top of the tower and found out that Boomer Kuwanger was the one controlling the security system of the tower; this is then that I found out that he had turned Maverick…**

The female reploid interrupted him and asked. _**Did he tell you anything?**_

**He said that if I had made it through the tower, I probably wasn't an ordinary B-Class Hunter. I told him that I didn't want to fight someone like him; then, he told me that he found it strange that I didn't want to fight, as all Maverick Hunters were created for fighting. I tried to persuade him, but he wouldn't listen… I had no choice but to destroy him.**

Zero sighed and said. _**So that how it is…**_ The red hunter resumed her walk but was stopped by X that was touching her left shoulder pad.

**Why did you ask?**

The female reploid remained silent. _**…**_

**Zero?**

Zero took his hand off her shoulder and said. _**Blast Hornet was the one that I fought with.**_

**Oh…**

The red reploid went on. _**I trusted him, I tried to convince him that he was being manipulated, but he wouldn't listen to me… But even worse, what he said actually made sense… Yet, we fought…**_

The blue reploid attempted to touch her shoulder again, but she stopped him with a wave of her hand. She spoke with a hint of sadness in her voice. _**How did you deal with it?**_

**It isn't easy… To lose a friend… But you shouldn't worry about what he said; he wasn't himself, would you rather had let him continue to cause suffering to everyone around him?**

_**I know, but why did it had to turn out that way, why did I had to fight him?**_

X answered. **I can't give you an answer; but, you're the one that once told me, that someone had to stop the Maverick… That's why you died… Is that right?**

_**Maybe… Maybe you're right. I lecture you about a lot of things, and yet, I don't even listen to my own advices. I'm so ashamed of myself…**_

**You shouldn't…**

_**Look, X, my head is all mixed up; just leave me alone...**_

---

Well, we're done with about half of Megaman X3, which mean that we're going to get into some more significant part of the plot. In this chapter in particular, the only thing that I believe that is worth mentioning, is that I refuse to call Boomer Kuwanger by his remake name; mainly because Boomerang Kuwanger seems to be awfully long and that I believe that it is long enough in its original version. I also added a reference to the remake in which I actually used the actual events of Maverick Hunter X to serve my own plot.

Preview: It didn't take long for Zero to be called back in action; because, as soon as she managed to straiten things up in her head, the hunters began to plan their retaliation against Dr. Doppler. What part will Zero play in this plan? What dangers await her within Doppler Lab? Next Chapter: Retaliate.

Since the end of last week, it seems like we've been having issues with documents upload; it seems to be fixed now.


	14. Retaliate

Chapter 14

Retaliate

By the time that Zero recovered from her encounter with Blast Hornet, she was called for a briefing regarding the hunters next course of action. Truth be known, she didn't understand why she had made such a fuss about the former hunter death; after all, she had fought plenty of Mavericks before, and a few amongst them were once Maverick Hunters. No, it was different, those that she had fought were either suspicious, or simply had always hated her. Mac, Vile, Sigma; why wasn't it the same with Blast Hornet as it had been with them? It was probably because she hadn't ever been friend with any of them; this was must have been the very reason why his death was so painful. She continued to ponder on what happened and eventually reached the Command Room.

It appeared that she was the only one that was still missing. Theta said. _**Finally. Let's get this over with.**_

Zero joined X, who was within the row of hunters that were the closest to the female navigator. He quietly asked. **Are you sure it's ok for you to even be here? You weren't really yourself these days…**

_**Sorry about that, I don't know what came over me.**_

By the time that she finished to answer, Theta began to explain the situation. _**Well, let's get down to the point. Thanks to X, we have been able to acquire several memory chips from the Mavericks controlled by Doppler; our scientists are continuing to analyze them even as we speak, but it would appear that he's trying to create a powerful battle body by collecting the data on the latest reploids…**_

**Battle body…?**

**_At first, we thought that it was for himself, but our studies says that he won't be able to interface with it; so it must be for someone else._**

Zero spoke. _**Could it be… Sigma again? Could he still be alive?**_

The female hunter answered. _**Actually… It's still too soon to make such assumptions, but I guess we mustn't discard this possibility. Regardless, we have managed to track down Doppler main base at Point D, deep within Doppler Town. Everything seems to indicate that this is Doppler secret lab.**_

**Then, what are we waiting for, let's hurry.**

Theta replied. _**It isn't that simple. Magma Dragoon, if you would?**_

The tall red hunter walked to the holographic device within the middle of the room, and loaded a disk within the computer. A large green hologram, featuring the blueprints of Doppler lab appeared from the holographic diffusers. _**We have to thank the 14**__**th**__** Unit, which has suffered severe casualties in order to obtain this crucial piece of information. I will let Magma Dragoon brief you on their defenses. **_

Magma Dragoon replaced Theta within the middle of the room; it was then that Zero noticed a very nasty cut, that hadn't been repaired yet and that went diagonally from his nose toward his right eye,. It wasn't exactly a good omen of their chances to infiltrate Doppler lab. The dragon-like reploid began. **As you can see from the various defensive mechanisms spread around the base and the various turrets that form their air defenses; it would be nearly impossible to launch an aerial assault on this base. Also, we have found out that all the remnants of Doppler Army are holed up within this base, we could fight for days and never take a step inside. Therefore, a land assault is not advised either…**

_**Do you mean that it is impossible to get inside?**_

**Thank you for pointing this out, Zero. It would be the case, if it weren't for a small trash disposal opening on the southwestern side of the base. It is large enough to send a small group of hunters that could sneak inside the lab. However, should they be spotted by Doppler Army, this could easily turn into a deathtrap…**

He was then interrupted by Theta. **_This will do, Magma Dragoon. I'll take over from here._**

The red hunter left the middle of the room and Theta stepped forward. **_For this reason, we will be placing three bombs, each at a different strategic points, which will serves as decoys…_**

Three identified targets appeared on the hologram, each of them at a completely different sides of the base. **_While another team will sneak in and attempt to disarm their defenses._**

**So? Who's going to be on this team?**

**_Actually, you will be the only member of this team, X…_**

**_Huh?!_**

The female hunter explained. **_According to the information gathered by Magma Dragoon, we will need all the hunters that we can spare to pull off the decoys, forcing us to reduce the effectives to a minimum; so, the high command has requested that you be sent there, while rest of us keeps their defenses busy._**

**Seems like I have no choice. When am I going?**

**_Immediately. All the others, report to your respective officers, they will brief you on your own mission. Let's make sure that sacrifices of the 14__th__ Unit weren't in vain._**

All the hunters began to leave the room, and Zero managed to get a hold of her navigator. **_Hey? What about me? I wasn't informed of my orders._**

**_Sorry Zero, but because of the recent events going on with you, they've decided to take you off this mission…_**

**_What?! They're sending X alone inside Doppler Lab and they take me off the whole operation! Are they out of their minds?!_**

Theta seemed to be exhausted, she quickly answered in a rude tone. **_Look, I can't do anything and those are the official orders; so whether you like it or not, that's the way it is._** The female navigator stormed out of the room and left Zero on her own.

**_Fine, orders or not, I'm going there._**

---

Afterward, Zero managed to catch up with X, who was preparing to leave for his mission. **_X!_**

**Hey. What's up?**

She asked. **_Don't tell me that you're really going there?_**

**Well, those are my orders; I guess that I have no choice in the matter.**

The female hunter went on. **_I'll tell you this only once, but something is definitely wrong about this, it isn't normal that they would send only one hunter out there._**

**Maybe they hope that if there's only one of us out there, that it will be harder for them to find me…**

**_You know fully well that this place is gonna be full of Doppler minions; don't be afraid to ask for help, or else, you might not make it back in one piece._**

The blue reploid paused and replied.** … You want to come, right?**

**_No I don't, but I won't let you foolishly throw your life away without thinking._**

**Well then, Zero, would you lend me a hand on this mission?**

She tried to make it sound like she didn't wanted to. _**What if I don't want to…? Maybe if you ask real nicely.**  
_

**Come on, stop fooling around.**

**_You could have begged a little at least… But, I guess that I can give you a hand._**

---

Doppler Lab, within the thrash disposal opening…

Sneaking in the lab was easier than Zero had initially thought, apparently, Magma Dragoon information had proved very reliable. The only problem that they had encountered, was to convince X pilot to let her inside the transport, but the blue reploid had managed to talk his way out of it. This particular part of the lab was full of scrap metals and many mechniloids, with the help of large compactors, were disposing of them accordingly. They soon reached a crossroad, in which they had to choose between going up through a set of ladders, or continuing deeper within the thrash disposal section. The female reploid said. **_I think I'm going to scout ahead; we'll meet up later._**

**Gotcha. Be careful.**

_**No worries, I'll be back in a little while.** _Zero went through the ladder system, which eventually led her to several reploids from Doppler Army that were patrolling the corridors of the lowest floor; she was forced to deal with them quietly, since she didn't want to cause too much of a ruckus before they deactivated the defensive system.

She soon reached an opening that led back to the sector where she was earlier, and decided to go check on X before going further inside. She went down a large metallic tube and fell behind a big red robot, that was filling all the space between the left and right wall, and that was ridden by standard combat reploid model; the female reploid soon saw that the robot hadn't noticed her, but was rather firing in the other direction. The spiked ceiling began to come down on the room. After quickly reassessing her situation, Zero heard X shouting from the other side of the room. **_X?!_**

**Zero! What are you doing back there?!**

**_Does it matter?! I'm going to stop that collapsing ceiling, you, take care of that junk robot._**

The red hunter dashed on the other side of the room and found the console that controlled the ceiling, she attempted to make it stop, but the machine kept denying her access. She blew it up with buster, but found out that it had no effect and that the ceiling was getting even closer. Her mind raced for a solution, she then looked around and noticed a rusted emergency lever that was encased within the wall. Zero attempted to shut it down, but she wasn't strong enough to do it, the lever was too rusted and didn't moved an inch; she kept seeing the ceiling getting closer and closer from them; She said. **_Dammit! This is ridiculous, get down already!_**

She was so mad that she fully charged both of her arms and released the whole energy that she had gathered into one last attempt to pull the lever. It had been dangerously close, but the lever finally shut down and the ceiling completely stopped. After recovering from that particularly straining use of energy, Zero saw the red robot explode, revealing an unharmed X. **_Whew! That was way too close for my taste…_**

**Thanks for your help; I don't think that I would have made it in time.**

**_Yeah, we'd better be extra careful from now on. Anyway, let's hurry, we still have much to do…_**

---

Inside the base…

Our hunters, after frequent encounters with several battle-ready mechaniloids, made their way through the third floor; in which the security system console was located. Fortunately, it seemed like the decoys were working beyond their expectations, as the main forces of Doppler Army had been kept away from this zone. They blasted a door open and entered a long room with a great number of windows. They realized that a storm had risen outside and that the thunder was dancing in the sky. The made their way through the room and stumbled upon a dead end. **Huh, Zero? You're sure it's here?**

**_From what they've told you, it seems like it… But where's the door?_**

**Wait a second… Did you hear that?**

The female reploid asked. **_Hear what?_** Suddenly, loud bashing sounds were heard from beyond the wall.

**Something's coming…**

The wall yielded, creating a cloud of smoke and dust, and a large mechanical arm appeared from where the wall used to stand. Zero couldn't believe what she was seeing, she shouted in surprise. **_Vile?!!_**

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well, this chapter was the first part of the two or three chapters that will cover the events that happened within Doppler Lab. I do hope that I have been able to give justice to the first part of Doppler Lab, even though I have purposefully avoided the fight with the Nightmare Police that may or may not be featured in the next chapters.

So, I hope that you're liking it so far; since that we're going to get to Megaman X4 very soon, which may be the game that will get the greatest number of chapters within the whole series.

Preview: It would seem that Doppler had indeed prepared for the hunters coming, as he had left many of his most powerful creations within his base. Is Zero really seeing what she think she is? Is Vile truly alive? Will the hunters make it through the hardship that awaits them? Next Chapter: Payback.


	15. Payback

Chapter 15

Payback

It was indeed Vile that Zero had seen. He had changed, his whole armor had been reinforced and now bore a dark blue and red color scheme; not only did he receive an upgraded version of his shoulder cannon on his right shoulder, but a new compact missile launcher had been implanted in his left one and both armaments were held together by an armor plating that went down to the lower part of his back. But, something even worse concerned her, Vile was riding a model of ride armor that she had never seen before; it was colored in the same color scheme as the former maverick hunter, except for the brown heavy armor plating that were added to the structure. This ride armor seemed to be far heavier that the usual models. Vile said. **Ha ha ha! My waiting has finally come to an end!**

X couldn't help but to say. **Vile!?! Zero and I destroyed you years ago!!**

**Hmph! Did you really think that you could get rid of me that easily?**

**How did you!?!**

The former hunter answered before X could finish his question. **The Doc was kind enough to give a second chance … I got to say that I was so disappointed when I found out that you had both eluded my traps…**

_**So those teleporters were… Yours?**_

The blue reploid also asked. **What are you doing with Doppler? Is Sigma really alive?!**

**I don't know, but I guess that me destroying you is all part of Doppler plan.**

_**Forget all this nonsense Vile! Either stand aside or we'll get through you.**_

Vile replied. **Ha Ha Ha Ha!!! I'm afraid that I can't do that… Prepare to die at the hand of the world most advanced ride armor – the new "Goliath"!!!**

**_Let's finish this, Vile!_**

**You'd better be ready to back those words!**

The former hunter immediately dashed with his ride armor, reaching the hunters and raising its fist to smash them; our two hunters jumped away from the melee and Zero then drew her saber, she glanced at X, who nodded immediately. Vile saw the female reploid coming in his direction and charged his ride armor arm to intercept her. However, as she arrived, Zero instantly ducked on her right side and revealed the blue reploid, whose arm cannon unleashed a fully charged shot on the Goliath. The red hunter witnessed the impact and was surprised to hear Vile laugh as the shot reached the ride armor.

The charged shot had simply vanished; the Goliath was now shining with energy that it had absorbed from the charged shot. **Sorry, but this won't work this time.**

**Huh?!** Not understanding what had just happened, X was an easy prey for Vile, who punched the blue reploid into one of the large windows that were six foots away from them. Zero dashed to their sides and tried to slice off the upper right arm of the ride armor, and soon found out that not only had she failed to cut it off, but she also realized that she couldn't take it out; Vile turned his war machine toward her and knocked her down with its spare fist.

From the ground, the female reploid could still see her saber buried within the Goliath, who turned to reveal a rather large cannon, that was hidden within its chest; the Goliath began to glow in a strange teal light and fired a gigantic charged shot toward the blue hunter, who narrowly escaped the shot. The window behind X had shattered from the impact, which allowed the strong winds to roam freely within the room as the rain began to pour from the window. **This ride armor... Is invincible! Ha Ha Ha!**

The former hunter unleashed a hail of small missiles at the weakened X, who had been left completely defenseless by Vile last assault; the missiles rained on him, heavily damaging him in the process. Zero had to try something, or else, the blue reploid wouldn't survive Vile next assault. She ran toward them and attempted to pull out her saber with whatever strength she could muster; she did managed to take it out, but the Goliath delivered yet another punch at her, causing excessive damage to her armor and left her vulnerable to yet another assault. Vile grabbed her with the Goliath and smashed her in the nearest wall. Zero couldn't help but to scream in pain as he raised her to eye contact and said. **I've been waiting for this for so long… Once I've destroyed both of you, I'll defeat both Doppler and the hunters, and then… The humans shall be next!**

The grip of the war machine tightened as he finished. _**Aghhh!**_The female reploid sensed that her armor was beginning to fissure as her body was about to be crushed by the ride armor.

X voice came from beside them, but something was different about him; his gem was shining with a bright red light and an astounding amount of blue energy had begun to pour from his body. He painfully shouted. **Leave… Her… Alone!!**

**Huh?!!!**

Zero had never seen him like this, he began to fire shots of tremendous power and the Goliath seemed to be unable to absorb all of this energy at once, the arm that was holding her was blasted apart and the ride armor began to overload from the massive amount of energy that it had absorbed; the former hunter couldn't do anything to stabilize the Goliath and was forced to abandon it, the war machine soon fell under the constant fire of X and was finally destroyed. Vile watched the scene from above, with the help of his hidden thrusters, and saw the mysterious energy fade completely from X, who fainted from exhaustion.

His voice burning with anger, Vile shouted. **It doesn't matter! I don't need this Goliath to defeat weaklings like you! Today is the day you're is going down, X!!!**

With her back still aching, the female reploid rose and replied. **_Don't forget about me yet!_**

**Hmph! What is it about Maverick Hunters that makes them so eager to die?**

**_The satisfaction of giving scums, like you, what they deserve._**

Vile voice was filled with disdain as he replied. So that what that is, huh? The female reploid knew fully well that there was a leak from her main generator and that soon, she would barely be able to walk, it was now or never. **Fine then, Zero; you're going to die… Again!!!**

The dark blue reploid dived toward her and fired several projectiles from his missile launcher, whom she countered with several buster shots. The former hunter flew by again and Zero attempted to catch him with her saber, but to no avail; she began to charge her buster arm and was forced to evade several explosive bullets that Vile had fired through his shoulder cannon. The red hunter fired on him as he flew toward her and managed to destroy his missile launcher. Vile dropped a grenade in her direction, which created a large spray of fire that forced her to temporarily back down to avoid getting burnt to crisps. Little did she know that this was actually a trap, Vile said. **How kind of you to leave X unattended.**

It was then that she realized that he had used this grenade to lure her away from X, allowing him to assault the blue hunter in beeline. Vile flew toward the blue reploid. **_Those simulations had better have been worth it…_**

The female reploid aimed above X, waiting for the right moment to fire; then, when Vile dived to drop his grenade, Zero unleashed a lesser buster shot that was aimed slightly below the former hunter. The grenade exploded while still being in mid-air, and injured Vile leg in the process. **Hmph… I've had enough of your constant meddling Zero.** The former hunter aimed his shoulder cannon and began to fire green lasers at her; the dark blue reploid kept chasing her as she tried to evade the lasers, whose firing rate was getting faster with every beams that she evaded.

Seeing that she was approaching one of the windows, Zero lured the former hunter into shooting into the glass, making the wind blow him away from her, it was then that X regained consciousness. The blue reploid began to charge his buster, while Vile was still struggling with the wind, which also allowed Zero to charge her own arm cannons. The wind blew him before a window on the opposite side of the room and kept him from escaping, the dark blue reploid spoke. **Fine… I've lost… If I am to die today, you're going down with me, X!!!**

Vile targeted X with his shoulder cannon, only to see two charged shots heading toward him. Zero, with her arm cannons fully charged, had sent two large blasts of energy toward the former maverick hunter; one of them managed to destroy his left arm while the other had severely damaged his thrusters. Now unable to leave the ground, Vile realized that his body was being engulfed in electromagnetic surges.

It was then that the blue hunter shouted. **It's over Vile!!**

Vile laughed maniacally as he saw X firing his arm cannon. **Don't think that this is the end, X! I will haunt you until the day you die!** When the buster shot reached him, Vile was thrown through the glass and everything became suspiciously silent.

The female reploid looked outside to see if Vile had survived, but it appeared that he fell down the cliff outside of the window and was nowhere to be seen. She then went to X side and asked. _**Are you alright? X?**_

**I'm sorry for all this… I should have made sure that Vile was dead when we defeated him… Is he truly gone this time?**

**_Don't concern yourself over this; at least, we're in one piece. Anyway, there's little chance that he would have survived from this height… By the way, what happened to you before the Goliath was destroyed?_**

His tone betrayed his hesitation when he spoke. **I'm… Not actually sure… This is the third time that something like this happened… I was just so angry… And when I saw what he was about to do to you, it just happened…**

**_That's ok, I guess… Just remind me to never get on your bad side…_**

**What about you? Are you sure that you can continue? You look… Awful.**

She didn't want to worry him any more than he already was, so she deliberately omitted the fact that her generator was reaching a critical level and said. _**Ahem… Jokes aside, we need to hurry and deactivate the security system; since Vile has already opened the way for us, we should be able to destroy it; once its gone, Theta should be able to transfer us back to get some quick repairs…**_

With the security system gone, the communication jamming was lifted and the hunters were able to get some rest before the final assault on Doppler Lab. Time was getting short, the hunters had to hurry, or something even more dreadful than Vile might arise…

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Finally, I've managed to complete this chapter. As we can easily notice, the greatest feature of this chapter is the reappearance of Vile that was partially hinted during the last few chapters. There's also the use of the strange buff that I applied to X, that is partially a reference to the Vile/X & Zero battle, within Maverick Hunter X, where at some obvious point, X goes insane and begin to fire charged shots at an alarming rate (This might be reminiscent of the ultimate buster from Megaman Xtreme 2 that won't be featured within this story). Now, we'll be entering the last chapter of Megaman X3, so here's a little preview as usual.

Preview: With Vile gone and his repair complete, X was sent to deal with Doppler. Apparently, the damage done to Zero main generator was worse that she had expected and she was forced to stay behind. What hides within the bowels of Doppler Lab? Is Sigma still alive? Will Zero make it in time for the final battle between the Maverick Hunters and the remnants of Doppler army? Next Chapter: The True Maverick Virus.


	16. The True Maverick Virus

Chapter 16

The True Maverick Virus

The hunters soon realized that Zero's injuries were far worse than she had expected, in fact, they gave up to have her ready for the last assault on Doppler Lab. Even though X, whom repairs had already been completed, had visited her earlier; Zero was upset that she was forced to stay put and wait until they had time to deal with her. It was just so boring; all the other hunters had already been transferred back there and prepared to put an end to the maverick threat once and for all.

Half an hour later, the lifesavers finally decided to attend to her and began the delicate process of fixing her main generator; of course, none of them were particularly in a hurry. It was then that Magma Dragoon entered the room, the female reploid noticed him and said. _**Don't just stand there and have a seat.**_

The dragon-like reploid turned to the reploids that were attending to her and said. **Would you mind leaving us alone for a moment?**

The lifesavers left and they were both left alone. **_What's all that fuss?_**

**Let's just say that I'm about to overstep my authority at the request of navigator Theta…**

**_Huh?_**

**Take a look at this.** The hunter patched a transmission through the communication system that soon displayed the silhouette of a battered Dr.Doppler that began to speak.

_I hope that this transmission will reach the maverick hunters as soon as possible, as I am afraid that something dreadful may happen if it doesn't. Sigma is about to be revived and I fear that there is little I can do to prevent this…_

**_What the…?!_**

**Stay quiet for once!**

_While researching the origins of the maverick virus, I discovered that Sigma was still alive and that his programming continued to live on through the maverick virus… I was accidentally exposed to the virus, he possessed me and forced me to build a new body to host his consciousness, he then proceeded to infect everyone within Doppler Town, which caused the viral outbreak… X is already on his way to stop him, in case he would fail to destroy the virus, I have forwarded you a sample of an anti-virus that I believe that will be able to destroy the virus once and for all; send one of your hunters to the subterranean hangar below my lab and have him apply the anti-virus on Sigma, make haste… … …_

The red hunter couldn't believe it, not only was Sigma really behind all this again, but Doppler had been nothing but a pawn in his scheme. _**Why are you showing me this? As important as it may be, I can't do anything about it in my current state.**_

The dragon-like reploid spoke. **Theta feels that you might be the only remaining hunter that would be able to pull this off and I agree with her. Even though the high command objected to this, we're going to have the medical personnel stabilize you as much as they can and we're going to load the anti-virus within your saber, do you feel up to it?**

**_Of course I am! Just hurry with the preparations and I'll get there as soon as possible!_**

**We're all counting on you, don't let us down.**

The hunter was about to leave when Zero said. **_Hey… Thanks for giving a chance to see this through the end._**

**Hmph… Just make sure you succeed.**

---

Within the transfer room….

The lifesavers had finished to repair her to an acceptable level and she followed Magma Dragoon toward the transfer server. Once they both entered the room, they realized that Theta was already there and was making the final preparation for her transfer. _**Theta!**_

Continuing to set the final adjustments, the female hunter replied. _**Just get in there, I'm already risking a lot by sending you there.**_

_**It's good to see you too…**_

Once inside, Theta began the transferring procedure. _**Ready for transfer… Transfer!**_

Zero found herself within a large hangar filled with strange vats, she looked around and found out that one of them had been forcefully broken. She then heard Theta speaking through her communicator. _**We have little time… There's a strong signal coming from within this hangar, hurry up, X must have already reached Sigma!**_

**_Understood, I'm beginning the mission!_**

A distorted voice came from behind her. **I think… NOT!**

A blast of energy narrowly missed her and exploded on one of the nearby vats. The female hunter turned to see the identity of her assailant and was shocked to see a lethally wounded Vile crawling on the ground; his helmet had partly shattered and was revealing a metallic head with two red eyes burning with malevolence, he could barely move and was still clinging to his shoulder canon that was almost overloading from this last blast. His voice, distorted in an unsettling manner, the former hunter spoke. **Hah hah hah hah!!! I-I I'm afraid that I can't allow you to save X this time, Zero!**

**_Vile!?! How did you survive this fall?!_**

**It doesn't matter! I have bombs placed all over the place! In a matter of minutes, this place will be a pile of smoking ruins!!!**

**_Are you insane?! Don't you realize that you're gonna be caught in the blast!?!_**

**By defeating X years ago… I have proved my point; Sigma is wrong, X was never the one with the power to change the world. I was!!!** It was then that she truly realized it, Vile had gone completely insane, and he was ready to throw his life away only to carry out his revenge on X. **And today is the day I'm gonna prove it! I am Vile, I… I… … …** The former hunter couldn't speak anymore, he remained there, frozen in what he believed to be his moment of triumph; he was dead.

Zero didn't have any time to dispose of the mad maverick, as the base would blow up in a matter of minutes. She dashed toward the origin of the signal, but one of Vile's bombs had detonated earlier than the others and made the ceiling collapse before her very eyes; her way now blocked by the rubbles, she noticed a set of ladders that led to a large room that hosted the power generator of this hangar. She searched within the generator computer and attempted to find a way to reach the room in which Doppler battle body was located, and only found a large airshaft that passed above the room; this would be her only chance.

The female reploid went through the shaft and reached the fan that stood between her and her destination, she blasted the fan and went on the platform that was just outside of the shaft. Two large explosions were heard from below as two other bombs had detonated, she saw X dashing from walls to walls below her. Much to her dismay, Zero saw something engulfed in a sick green haze that was following the blue reploid. X saw her and attempted to jump on the platform but could only get a hold of it with his hands.

The blue reploid shouted. **Zero!**

_**Hang on! I'll get you out of here!**_

The female hunter lifted him on the platform and the strange organism that was following X soon joined them. It had the shape of a head mounted on a metallic contraption, with two horns sprouting toward the back of its head; its face was that of Sigma himself. _**Is this… Sigma!?!**_

Another explosion happened and began to upset the balance of the platform they were on. **It's his true form! Sigma is the maverick virus!!!**

Sigma laughed and said. **Bwa hah hah hah!!! Give up! I'll possess X's body and then, I'll rule the whole world!!** The maverick virus was getting dangerously close to them.

_**Have some of this!!**_ Zero took out her saber and slashed the maverick, which began to moan in pain.

**Garrrrr!!! You're… Zero… It's you… Again…**

The female hunter replied. _**How do you like that Sigma? I downloaded Doppler anti-virus on my beam saber!!**_

Sigma form began to dissolve before their very eyes. **My program… is disappearing… But… someday… I… will…**

The maverick was gone, but other explosions were heard from below and made the platform foundations break under them, Zero fell down and was caught by the blue reploid. **Don't let go, Zero!**

The female reploid spoke through he communicator. _**Theta!! Transfer us out of here, quickly!**_

The navigator voice reached her. **What's wrong? What's happening?!**

_**Just get us out of here!**_

The blast of fire was about to reach them, but Theta saved them just in time and they found themselves outside of Doppler base; while Vile bombs reduced it to bits. Both hunters couldn't help but to breathe a sigh of relief. Zero kept receiving transmissions from her navigator, but she figured that she didn't know enough about what had transpired here to give her a proper explanation. X said. **That was… Insane… What were you doing out there? Especially in your state…**

_**I'm the one who should ask you that, what the hell has happened in there?**_

The blue reploid began to explain. **Well… After defeating Doppler, he told me the truth about the maverick virus and told me that Sigma was indeed the one behind all of this; but I came too late, Sigma had already taken the battle body for himself and turned it against me. I somehow succeeded to destroy the battle body, but he turned into this viral form that we saw and attempted to possess me.**

**_Possess you?_**

X paused for a moment and went on. **For some reasons, Sigma is able to survive by possessing a reploid to host his consciousness; he became mad after I destroyed the battle body and attempted to infect me with the virus.**

_**Hmm… It would seem that Doppler was telling the truth after all…**_

**Huh?**

**_The HQ received a transmission from Doppler saying that Sigma was back and he sent us an anti-virus sample that he believed that may be able to destroy Sigma._**

**Do you think that the anti-virus was successful? Is Sigma really gone now?**

Zero pondered her answer and said. _**I don't know… There' something different about him and Vile, they're different from the other mavericks… It's almost as if they were aware that they would live on, even though their bodies were destroyed.**_

**But Zero… Vile is dead, you saw him fall down this cliff just as I did…**

The female hunter replied. _**No, he was alive, he's the one that was responsible for those explosions; he attempted to stop me within the hangar, I don't know how he survived, but he did.**_

**Vile told me that he would haunt me until the day I die; Sigma said that he would be back… Do you really think that they meant it?**

_**I don't know, but we shouldn't discard that possibility; in the meantime, let's make sure that we're ready for whatever they have in store for us, that's the best we can do.**_

**You're right, there's absolutely no way that we can know for sure. Together, I'm sure that we can overcome whatever they throw at us; I'm sure of it.**

_**Yeah, and I think that I may have found what I was looking for in the desert…**_

X asked in a nervous tone. **What are you talking about?**

_**I would spoil the surprise if I told you now; but I'm pretty sure you'll like it.**_

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I have to say that I had a hard time with this chapter, but I learned something, the end of Megaman X3 makes absolutely no sense; the most obvious issues being the questionable layout of the room in which Sigma is fought, the strange lava that pops out of the ground when X attempts to escape Sigma's third form, the fact that Zero simply appears from the ceiling with absolutely no explanations on how he managed to do that and that they can somehow escape from an impending death by teleporting out of the base, which is denied by the end of Megaman X2 and the Megaman Zero series.

For those that aren't familiar with the Megaman X series, Lifesaver is a name used by a character within Megaman X5, whom I've decided to use as a more generic term for the medics of the maverick hunters; thought the term may actually be the true name of their medics, I haven't been able to find any consistent proofs regarding this claim.

As you can also see, I took a little freedom in changing the viral Sigma's form into a form similar to that of the following games and the fact that I used Vile as a mean to explain the sudden lava that appears within the game. I can also announce that this is the last chapter of Megaman X3 and that we will be moving to Megaman X4 around end of the week; with my exams done, I can finally give this FanFic the attention that it deserves.

Preview: With their leaders gone, the mavericks were no match for the remaining hunters and were soon driven into hiding. Now that peace had returned, the hunters were free to bolster their ranks and a new faction called the "Repliforce" was created to complement the maverick hunters, and helped ensure that no more maverick revolts would ever occur. As for Zero and X, they resumed their duties as maverick hunters and enjoyed the relative peace in which the world had settled. However, strange things were afoot as many hunters began to disappear and Zero began to suffer from strange dreams that began to take their toil on her. Who is behind those disappearances? Are Zero's dreams an omen of things to come? Next Chapter: Recurring Nightmare.


	17. Recurring Nightmare

Chapter 17

Recurring Nightmare

In the aftermath of the viral outbreak caused by Dr. Doppler, the hunters tirelessly hunted the last remaining mavericks; while most of them were destroyed, many went into hiding in the hope of escaping the maverick hunters wrath. In the hope of ensuring that no other maverick revolts would occur, a new army called the 'Repliforce' was created to complement the maverick hunters. Even though things were hectic between the two groups, as many hunters felt that Repliforce was encroaching upon their jurisdiction, both groups kept each other's at arm length and tolerated the other existence.

As for X and Zero, the first had resumed his duties as an A-Class hunter and the second continued to lead whatever that remained of her unit. Today, however, was a very special day; though very few actually noticed it, Zero had undergone a particularly long maintenance. Once she was done, she proceeded to join up with X, with whom she had been assigned to handle a menial task; the hunters actually found themselves understaffed due to strange disappearances that had occurred all over Able City. Apparently, many hunters had disappeared in mysterious circumstances; many suspected a vengeful maverick, but most dismissed it as a rumor.

The female reploid had been assigned to transport crates from a nearby hangar back to the HQ and was actually late, as X had already begun to load the crates when she arrived. Noticing the blue reploid loading yet another crate, Zero greeted him. _**Hey there.**_

The male hunter finished to load the crate he was transporting and said. **You sure took your time, huh?** For some reason, X was stunned for a second as he gazed upon the red hunter. It seemed like Zero's appearance had undergone significant changes; she looked far thinner than she used to, as the additional plating of her armor had been removed and all that remained of it, was a breastplate that left her belly unprotected and her shoulder pads had been thinned to a minimum. In fact, she looked far more like she did years ago; her forearms and legs were particularly slimmer than they used to. X had always thought that she was fine just the way she was before this entire maverick thing began, but at that moment, he simply couldn't take his eye off her.

The female reploid said in a cheerful tone. _**I look great, huh?**_

X mumbled. **Sure… But, hm… Why?**

These changes, were the result of her decision to be upgraded with her own specifications; not only did she got rid of most of her armor, but she also got rid of both her buster arms in order to concentrate on her beam saber more efficiently. _**That's the surprise I told you about a while ago, that's my solution to that mobility problem of mine, I simply couldn't stand being so clumsy anymore. **_She was especially happy with the results as she had already begun to see the difference, her arms were far lighter than they used to, which she assumed would allow her to manipulate her new Z-Saber more efficiently.

**Ok… Is that all there is?**

_**Nope, I got rid of both buster arms.**_

**But how are you going to…**

Zero interrupted him before he could finish. _**Don't worry; I'll just use my saber from now on.**_

**Well… Good for you… We'd better get to work now.** X hoped that his work would distract him from these sudden changes; he hoped that he would get used to them soon, or else, she might notice…

---

Later that night, back at the hunters HQ…

Weary from her long day, Zero retired into her regenerative bed and soon fell in a deep slumber; but as her eyes closed, the room shifted around her and her room took the likeness of a dark lab with many old computers surrounding her. She was inside a strange capsule, similar to those that the hunters had used to repair her. A blinding light appeared, the capsule opened and the darkened shape of an old man wearing a lab coat obscured the light before her. The female reploid couldn't quite distinguish his features; he spoke in a commanding yet weary voice. _Zero…_

Not understanding what was happening, Zero asked. _**W-Who are you?**_

_Find X… And destroy him._

_**But, who are you!?!**_

The old man paid no heed to her questions and went on. _His creator, he is nemesis. Our rivalry is what gives me motivation in life. _Indeed, the old man seemed quite passionate about it, but what did X had to do with all this? _Now, go. Destroy X, that's an order!_

The red hunter stood from the capsule and shouted. _**But, wait!**_

However, just as she tried to reach the old man, a strong wave of pain went through her head; she heard a sound of an almost impossible magnitude and the pain amplified beyond anything she had ever experienced before. _**Aghh! Aaagh!**_ She fell on her knees and the pain continued to escalate, she almost felt as if her head was about to blow up and she couldn't help but to let out a loud scream.

From that point, things became very confusing around her and within her head, she saw the old man staring at her beyond the glass of the capsule, she saw the strange complex filled with the dead reploids that she had witnesses in another dream, unknown voices began to scream in agony as she witnessed the reploids that had been torn to shred by an unknown source, she then saw what she believed to be her own schematics and her hands covered in blood with the deads staring accusingly at her… Afterward, she awoke in shock, not understanding what had just happened to her. _**That… That dream again… **_

It wasn't the first time that she had this dream, she had it for the first time about a month ago and it seemed like it was becoming quite frequent, what was wrong with her? Not only were the visions becoming more disturbing each times, but it was also beginning to take toil on her, as she wasn't able to recover from her previous day.

---

Later in the morning…

Zero couldn't sleep for the reminder of the night, her head was filled with questions regarding this recurring nightmare; because of that, she had been in a daze the whole morning, in fact, she bumped into another hunter and tripped for no apparent reason. Today, she was assigned to go make an errand for the mechanics and the rest of her day was off, which seldom happened these days. On her way to meet the mechanic, Zero met Magma Dragoon, who seemed to be particularly in a hurry. She said. _**Hey, Magma Dragoon, what are you in such a hurry for?**_

The dragon-like reploid answered. **Ah, Zero. Just who I was looking for.**

_**Really? Why?**_

**Hm… I was wondering if you would agree to switch shift with me…**

Zero answered in a skeptical tone. _**What for?**_

**You see, I have this important meeting to which I have to attend, and they also scheduled me for guard duty due to the recent disappearances that have been happening. I just can't afford to miss this meeting and I simply can't disobey orders either…**

_**Alright, but you'll owe me.**_

**Thanks, the guy shall be waiting for you near the entrance, he's going to perform a particularly long maintenance on a transport vehicle in a nearby hangar.**

Magma Dragoon didn't stay much longer, as he still seemed to be in quite a hurry. Zero wondered what was all that fuss about this meeting, in fact, she hadn't been informed of any particular event going on today, but she quickly dismissed it as unimportant. In fact, she was happy that she had a complete shift for the day, this would allow her to set her mind on something else than those annoying nightmares and maybe bring her out of her daze. It wasn't like guard duty was that hard, especially this close to the HQ.

She soon met with the mechanic that Magma Dragoon told her about, and he seemed quite surprised that the dragon-like reploid had decided to have a shift change this late in the week, but he simply went along with it. They reached the troublesome vehicle and the mechanic simply told her to stand guard outside while he was doing the necessary repairs. Zero used this opportunity to practice her saber swings, in order to figure out a style that would suit her better than the standard beam saber techniques. By now, she had found a few particular swings with whom she was particularly comfortable, but she still had a little trouble finding the synergy them. Her new saber and the disappearance of her buster armament had indeed improved her coordination and allowed her to use it into a more sophisticated manner than she used to.

The repairs did take a while, and by the middle of the afternoon, she heard the mechanic scream from inside the vehicle; she rushed to him and saw several computer consoles about to overload. The mechanic said. Get away, this thing's gonna blow up! Someone has placed a trap inside those consoles and I don't have enough time to disarm it, run for it! They both ran as fast as they could from the transport, but the explosive detonated. The flames were following them closely and the mechanic, who was just behind her, was caught in the explosion; Zero jumped for it and fell on the ground, further away from the transport, the blisters still raining on her as she attempted to understand what had just happened…

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Well, here it is, one of the introduction chapters of Megaman X4. The main feature of this chapter is the transformation of Zero into his Megaman X4 and beyond form, whose armament shall now focus on his trademark Z-Saber and also the temporary disappearance of the Z-Buster. I have to say that all those physical changes of appearance that both X and Zero suffered over the years somehow amuse me, the most obvious being Zero's eyes and saber color/form which seems to have been altered quite a few times.

Another of the main feature of this chapter is the early introduction of Zero's nightmare that was actually shown right before the first stage of the game.

Preview: Upon realizing that something was amiss, Zero contacted the hunters immediately and found out that someone had stolen an important piece of data from the hunters base; that person may well be the one that is responsible for the recent disappearances and the explosion from which Zero has narrowly survived. Our hunter is instructed to attempt to catch the culprit before he can escape and recover the crucial piece of data before it is too late. Who is responsible for those incidents? What is so important about this data? Next Chapter: Heart-Racing Chase.


	18. Heart Racing Chase

Chapter 18 

Heart-Racing Chase

Zero stood back from the ground and looked around to see if the mechanic that had been just behind her had made it, but it appeared that the poor guy hadn't made it; she also noticed that the vehicle was now nothing more than a bunch of scrap metals. She attempted to contact the HQ, but to no avail; it seemed like no one was watching over the emergency frequency, which was quite strange since her navigator almost never left her post… Zero went outside and looked around to see if she could find the culprit of this cowardly assault, but little could be seen beside a few civilians strolling by as if they hadn't even noticed what had just transpired.

A minute later, Zero received a transmission from the HQ, a panicked hunter spoke her. _Commander Zero! Do you read me!?!_

The female reploid answered. _**Zero here, about time that someone decided to take this line in charge, I've got a dead mechanic and a destroyed vehicle on my hands…**_

The young hunter interrupted her, not knowing anything about what had just happened. _I don't know what you are talking about, but we've got something more important to take care of. Someone stole a crucial piece of data from our database and has managed to sneak away from the HQ. The main command ordered that all the hunters in the vicinity begin chase immediately._

_**What the hell?! Where's navigator Theta? And where's the thief headed?**_

As Zero was bombarding the panicked hunter with questions, she noticed something unusual from the other side of the street; she saw her navigator heading toward a dark alley with something under her arm, Theta made sure that nobody was following her and entered this dark corner of the street. What was she doing there? Why wasn't she at her post as in such a situation? _I don't know, but our top priority is to catch the culprit before it's too late!_

_**Alright, I'll keep my eyes open.**_

The red hunter turned off her communicator and went after Theta; it all felt a little too strange, the explosion, this sudden theft, maybe the female navigator could shed some light on what was going on. Zero quickly cached up with her navigator and called for her; the female navigator turned to face the one that was calling for her and couldn't hide her surprise as she saw the female hunter approach her, she said. _**Zero… Dammit!**_ Theta drew a buster gun from her side and fired at the female hunter; Zero was far enough to evade the small buster shot and simply couldn't understand why she was firing at her

The female navigator fired again and Zero continued her approach while evading the small blasts of buster. Theta ran and Zero went after her as fast as she could, it made absolutely no sense, could it be that her navigator had suddenly turned maverick without anyone noticing?

Both hunters reached the exit of the alley and soon realized that a large crowd of civilians was filling the street, the female navigator attempted to get through the crowd, while Zero was still after her, and attempted to hamper her progress by putting as many civilians as she could between her and the red hunter. There were simply too many of them, Zero had a hard time keeping up with the rogue navigator as she was forced to shove many of the unsuspecting civilians out of her way; she soon realized that the rogue hunter had reached the other side of the crowd and was now charging her buster gun.

Zero thought that she would attempt to fire directly at her, but the navigator found out that there simply too many civilians around the hunter to have a clear shot; instead, she fired on a nearby light pole that soon began to fall toward the crowd, the female hunter attempted to warn them. _**Get away from there!!!**_

The light pole fell down and Zero had just enough time to leap back in order to avoid it; however, two civilians weren't as lucky, as they found themselves stuck under the large metallic pole. The female reploid had no choice but to temporarily halt her chase in order to free them, she cut the pole with her saber and freed them from the heavy light pole. Then, she resumed her chase, counting on the fact that only B-Class field hunters had the ability to dash, this would be her only chance in catching up with the rogue navigator.

She didn't had to pursue her for long, as Theta had awaited in ambush and began to fire on her at a rapid rate from the far end of another alley; Zero was forced to use the walls as stepping stones in order to reach her assailant, she jumped from walls to walls and disarmed the female hunter with a well placed kick. With her weapon knocked out of her hand, Theta attempt to slip away, hoping that Zero's would be unbalanced long enough for her to escape. Zero continued the chase and was about to reach the elusive navigator, but, two shady reploids arrived from a nearby junction; Theta ran past them and shouted. _**Hurry up and kill her!**_

The two reploids drew their stun sticks and rushed toward her; the first one attacked her with a thrust of his weapon, Zero ducked under the weapon and retaliated with a well aimed punch on her opponent's jaw; temporarily stunned by Zero's assault, the strange reploid was helpless as Zero tripped him. Seeing that the second one was now no further than a few feet from her, the female reploid ignited her saber once again and delivered a vertical swing at the maverick; the shady reploid blocked it with his stun stick and was pushed back by Zero who used this opportunity to slice him diagonally with her blade. The female hunter finished the last one of her opponents that was attempting to stand back from the ground and went in the direction in which Theta was headed.

Zero arrived at a large shadowy dead end and couldn't seem to find the rogue navigator; she looked around, keeping an eye behind her, just in case that Theta would attempt to slip behind her. Suddenly, she heard a strange buzzing sound coming from the darkness; she turned toward the origin of this noise and saw her former navigator step out of the shadow. But, she wasn't alone; Theta held a female reploid hostage with the help of a taser. This reploid had long brown hairs going down as far as the end of her back and wore a red breastplate with a white metallic plate that ended in a blue stripe above her belly, upon which an insignia of Repliforce could be seen; she also wore a large skirt that was mainly red with a few tints of blue and that ended in a metallic yellow above her knees. She seemed to be paralyzed with fear as the rogue navigator forced her to take yet another step toward Zero.

_**It's over Zero, if I see you make even one slight attempt to stop me, I'll kill this girl.**_

_**I can't believe that you would resort to**__** this… Why are you doing this? She doesn't have anything to do with this, let her go!**_

_**No!**__** I'm sick of this whole war; I can't take it anymore, can't you see? It's hopeless. No matter how many mavericks we stop, there will always be dozen of them ready to take their places.**_ The female navigator paused for a moment and went on. _**With this data, I can finally make this all end.**_

_**What could be so important about this data? If there was anything that could be done, don't you think that the hunters would had done it by now?**_

_**They don't understand how to use it**__**. But he knows… soon, it will all end.**_

_**Who are you talking about? Do you really think that working for the mavericks will solve anything?**_

Theta's hostage began to shake violently as she attempted to break free from her captor's grasp. _**Enough! I knew that someone like you couldn't understand, not that it matter anyway.**_ From there, the red hunters could hear the sobs of the terrified hostage and was even more angered by the fact that she couldn't do anything to help her. If she did attempt to save her, the hostage would surely die from the shock of the taser and Theta was but two feet away from her now. Her former navigator tightened her grip on the hostage and raised her taser toward Zero. _**Farewell, Zero!**_

At that moment, the hostage shook even more violently and seemed to have infuriated her keeper. _**That's it, I've warned you. Prepare to die.**_ Theta brought her taser back toward the neck of her hostage, which created enough diversion for Zero to draw her saber and sever half of Theta's left arm from her body. _**Arrghhh!!!**_

Zero shoved the hostage and impaled the rogue hunter on her saber. The red hunter could see the pain and disbelief within the eyes of her navigator as she uttered her last words. _**Zero... Your fellow hunters... Stay away from them. If you value your life... ... ...**_

The female hunter took out her saber, which caused the rogue navigator to fall lifelessly on the ground. Zero, saddened by the loss of her friend, went to see if the former hostage was alright, but was surprised to see that she was gone and that a small female reploid had replaced her; she had blond hairs, on which two green ribbons could be seen, she also wore a black sleeved red dress that was white on the upper part of her chest. She seemed to be extremely frightened as she laid her eyes upon the red hunter, she recoiled as Zero approached her, and the female hunter reached her with her hand and said in a calming tone. _**Hey? Are you alright?**_ Much to her disarray, Zero witnessed the blond girl fade as she was replaced with the actual reploid she had witnessed earlier; she attributed her hallucinations to exhaustion, she would need to rest once this whole mess had been taken care of.

The brown haired-reploid nodded as she actually began to get a hold of the situation, she slowly stood back on her two feet and it seemed that she had been quite shaken by her previous experience. It was then that Zero gave more attention to the Repliforce insignia that she wore, the red hunter asked. _**You're with Repliforce… Right? What's your name?**_

It seemed like she was still barely recovering her wits but she still managed to say. _I-Iris…_

Zero pitied the poor girl, she seemed so innocent now and she shouldn't have been involved in this. _**Well, Iris, I am Zero. I am a maverick hunter and this person you've seen; was one of our navigators, I have to apologize in the name of the hunters and my own, we hadn't noticed anything in her previous behavior that would have warranted such actions. I am deeply sorry for what happened.**_

The female hunter saw Iris eyes gaze within her owns, almost pleading for whatever help or comfort she could offer; Zero couldn't help but to feel pity as she looked into her deep blue eyes. She put her hand on her shoulder and asked. _**Do you have anywhere safe where you can go?**_

The girl nodded and said. _T-There's a base… Not too far from here, I probably could…_

Zero knew fully well that she was supposed to bring her back to the maverick hunters HQ for interrogation, but she simply didn't have the heart to do it. _**Do you want me to escort you back there?**_

The brown-haired reploid answered timidly. _I-I'll be fine. Thank you…_

The red hunter regardless insisted to escort her back to the street and made sure that she made it safely beyond her sight. Once she was done, she went back to the alley in order to secure the data and waited for the hunters to arrive; meanwhile, she found a strange disk on Theta's corpse and was still wondering what could have been so important about this disk.

Soon, an investigator arrived with a team of hunters; the investigator was none other than Signas, whom she hadn't really met in a long while. He looked around and saw for himself the demise of navigator Theta, he didn't paid much attention to Zero before he found out that what he was looking for wasn't there. He asked. **Can I get an explanation?**

_**I'm not actually sure, I was just recovering from an explosion that took the life of one of our mechanic and I saw her near the hangar in which I was assigned. I followed her and she began to fire on me…**_

**And then?**

Carefully omitting Iris presence in this particular case, she explained. _**I went after her and discovered that she was the one that had stolen the data from our database and that she was planning to give it to a maverick, whose name I wasn't able to get out of her.**_

Signas seemed quite skeptical about her story as she didn't seemed to give as much details as she should. **And where's the disk?**

_**Right here. **_She gave him the disk and asked. _**What was so important about this data anyway? She spoke of something to end the war against the mavericks.**_

He obviously knew what the disk contained as he didn't seemed to be that surprised about what he learned, but he refused to give her an answer. **Nothing that you have to worry about, you are dismissed, we'll clean this mess and hear your report later on.**

He sent her on her way just like that, becoming even more curious about this strange disk. On her way back to the HQ, she could help but wonder if Iris had made it back safely to the Repliforce base, but she probably would never know…

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Whew… A busy chapter indeed. Not only am I permanently killing a secondary character in the person of Theta, but I am also introducing a brand new character under the person of Iris, whose appearance I have deliberately altered because I simply couldn't stand this weird beret and the fact that I shrunk this oversized skirt of her, which explains why I omitted this particular detail in her description.

Preview: With her navigator gone, Zero ponder her last words as her trust begin to falter when she begins to question the loyalty of fellow hunters to their cause; but now, Zero and X find themselves without a spotter or a navigator to guide them on the field and it becomes imperative for the hunters to find a replacement for her. Who will be assigned to fill the void left by Theta's death? Are there really others that would seek to undermine the hunters on the inside? Next chapter: She, Who Came From Repliforce.


	19. She, Who Came From Repliforce

Chapter 19

She, Who Came From Repliforce

Just as Zero had predicted, the recent events had caused quite a fuss within the rank of the maverick hunters. Theta's betrayal had been quite sudden and had succeeded in sowing the seed of dissension within the hunters; as if the usual mavericks weren't enough, the very thought of having them walk freely within their very headquarter was very unsettling. Zero still pondered the last warning of her late navigator, could there actually be others within their ranks that would simply be waiting for the right opportunity to defect?

The necessity to replace the late navigator soon became obvious, but with the recent understaffing, it sounded like finding a competent replacement would prove to be most troublesome…

Three days after these events, Zero and X were assigned to guard a group of investigators, whose duty was to look into what was the most disturbing case they had in months; it was a slaughter, eight members of the 7th Unit had been killed in a most violent manner. The strangest thing about this was that they had received an urgent transmission from this place and the sounds of a maverick hunter screaming was heard when they took the transmission; but right afterward, another hunter assured them that there wasn't any problem.

These kinds of assignments seriously began to gall Zero, it was obvious that these guys didn't need anyone to babysit them; the culprit wouldn't be dumb enough to strike twice at the same place, or so she thought. In order to pass time, she and X were discussing the possible appointment of a new navigator for them. The blue reploid said. **I can't believe that Theta was a maverick… I saw her that morning, she looked so normal…**

The female reploid replied._** I agree, it was all too sudden.**_

**You were there, right? Did she say anything?**

_**She said that with the data that she had stolen, she would be able to end the war with the mavericks, she also warned me not to trust any maverick hunter but myself…**_

**Could this mean that there are… others?**

Zero didn't want to needlessly worry him, but those mavericks seemed far more organized than anyone would have believed. The fact that Zero and that mechanic were the only one in the vicinity, the explosion and this sudden theft, it was all too convenient; she knew exactly what she was looking for, the way would have been cleared for her escape and two mavericks would have been waiting for her to deliver the data. _**I don't know, that's always a possibility, but we can't really afford to second guess everything at this point.**_

**I know, but many hunters have died… And we don't even know what's causing those disappearances and who's responsible for this… butchery…**

_**I know, but we don't have any other choice for now; we'll simply have to hope that this new navigator will prove trustworthy.**_

**It's probably gonna be though to find someone to replace her, she was on duty almost twenty-four hours a day and with the recent understaffing it's gonna be even more complicated. Do you have any idea about who's going to be chosen?**

The red hunter answered. _**I'm as clueless as you are. Let's just hope that we're not going to have another officer or our back…**_

**You still have a little problem with authority, don't you?**

Zero shrugged and replied. _**I don't have a problem with authority, authority has a problem with me, and it's not my fault if I know better than they do.**_

**Right, whatever you say…**

---

Two days later…

Zero was heading toward the briefing room in order to meet with Signas that had requested for her presence, in order to introduce her to Theta's replacement. She wasn't especially in a hurry since the last field training of her unit had finished earlier than usual, Web Spider had made a fuss once again; it was really beginning to be bothersome to always have to discipline him, he was very useful during guerrilla operations, but made a very poor second officer. Still, the results of the exercise had been less than satisfying; the recent events had shaken the trust between the newest hunters and completely hampered their efforts, causing the whole operation to fail.

On her way there, Zero turned to an intersection that led to the last corridor before her destination and saw that X was heading there as well; strangely enough, he was followed by another reploid that the female hunter didn't recognize. This reploid was a little smaller than X and seemed far too fat for his legs to support him, he was mostly yellow in color except for his arms, legs and the upper part of his chest that had a light tint of brown; he wore a belt around his oversized belly that held several power cores and ended with a jet-pack in his back. He also wore a yellow helmet, whose design made it seem as if he wore a brown headband near his forehead and from which two white metallic bands joined about an inch before his mouth.

The red hunter called for X, who went to meet her right away. Zero soon realized that the fat reploid had followed the blue hunter and had catch up with them. _**Hey, what's up?**_

X replied. **Nothing special really, Signas asked me to come and meet the new navigator.**

_**I see, and who's that?**_

**Him? He's my… Hm…**

I'm his new assistant, I'm called Double, pleased to meet you ma'am.

_**Assistant?**_

Double paid absolutely no attention to the dumfounded Zero that stood before him; he turned to the blue reploid and said. That's right, I'm gonna do my best to help you sir!

Zero thought that this Double seemed a little strange, she didn't remember to ever have seen him around the HQ, though it was true that she couldn't keep track of all the new hunters since the Doppler incident a while ago; but still, she had never heard of any hunter being given an assistant, especially an A-Class hunter. Suddenly, they heard someone couching behind them; it was Signas, apparently, he was becoming rather impatient. The officer said. **If you don't mind, would you hurry so that I might introduce you to your new spotter?**

The briefing room was crowded, as usual, mainly because it served as the center of all the communications between all the navigators, spotters and their respective teams. Signas told them to wait there while he fetched her and came back with the last person that Zero would have expected. She shouted out loud. _**Iris?!?**_

Indeed, the new spotter was none other than this girl from Repliforce that she had met before, she seemed far calmer than when she met her but there was no doubt about it. Signas seemed to be quite surprised at her sudden outburst; X took a glance at the new spotter and asked. **Zero, you know this girl?**

Zero was too surprised to answer anything and she started to be worried that the hunter might find out about the fact that she hadn't brought her back for interrogation according to the procedure. Iris finally broke the uneasiness that the red hunter had caused and greeted them. _Hi Zero. And you two are?_

The stern officer realized that he hadn't done the introduction yet and went on. **Everyone, as Zero has already pointed out, this is Iris; she used to handle data analysis for Repliforce and she has volunteered to assist us in replacing the late navigator Theta…** Zero noticed a shadow pass within her eyes as she heard Theta's name be mentioned. **So, from now on, she will serve as Zero's spotter.**

X suddenly realized that Double was gone, so he turned to face Iris and said. **Greeting Iris, I'm X, nice to meet you.**

The female reploid timidly answered. _Likewise, X._

Then, X asked Signas. **Sir, you said that Iris would work with Zero, right? What about me?**

**This was already discussed and Double insisted that he be allowed to handle this as part of his duties as your assistant.**

**I see… **They were interrupted by a loud noise caused by Double, who had bumped into two other hunters carrying a particularly large piece of equipment, it had fallen on the floor and the fat reploid found himself attempting to apologize to the two furious hunters; triggering quite a lot of laughs in the process.

Zero noticed X smacking his head as he saw the clumsy reploid running toward him. _**Looks like you've found yourself quite a bit of excitement for the next months X.**_

**I'll handle this, bye Zero, see you soon Iris.**

Signas didn't stick around for long either and left to attend to something else; once both female reploids were alone, the red hunter asked. _**Iris, what are you really doing here? Weren't you with Repliforce?**_

Iris seemed to be a little more uneasy now that they were alone, she replied. _I… I wanted to repay you for what you did the other day…_

_**Is that it? You shouldn't concern yourself with this, that's my job; you don't owe me anything.**_

_I-I know, but I spoke about what happened with an officer that I know in Repliforce; he had heard that the hunters were looking for new spotter and he also told me that Repliforce wanted to know a little more about the maverick hunters in order to work more efficiently with them. I never imagined that the person who… attempted to kill me was the one that they wanted me to replace… and not once had I expected that I would end up working with you._

Zero realized that Iris was sincere about what she was saying; she really did want to repay her somehow. _**Are you sure that you can do it? Being a spotter isn't easy, are you sure that this is what you want?**_

_I've done work similar within Repliforce… I should be alright. But, Zero, are you ok with this? You sound as if… you don't want me to be your spotter…_

She knew that she shouldn't have been so blunt with her, she had it all wrong. _**No, that's not it; but you must understand that I would have been supposed to take you back to the hunters for interrogation last time. If Signas or any other officer knew that I violated the procedure, I'd be in trouble again. And there's also the fact that I'm risking my life all the time, and I need to have a spotter I can rely on.**_

_I understand, Repliforce is also very strict on these kinds of things… But I'll do my best, I promise._

_**I'm sure you will. So, want me to show you around?**_

Her tone sounded like something in between happiness and surprise as she answered. _Yes, if it doesn't bother you…_

_**No need to concern yourself over this, I'm off duty for the rest of the afternoon and I hadn't really planned anything.**_

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I just keep being amazed about how complicated some Reploid designs are, sometimes I even find myself unable to find the words to describe it in my own language. Anyway, as those who have played the game might have noticed, the violent murders that are mentioned within this chapter were actually perpetrated during the actual plot of the game; however, the games led us to believe that every time Sigma was defeated, there were simply no more mavericks causing trouble for the maverick hunters, which is denied by the fact that there are other kinds of maverick than those who are affected by the virus. So, I figured that it made more sense that some incidents involving mavericks would have happened far before the actual catalysis that lead to the intro stage and the usual eight bosses.

Also, the goal of this chapter is actually to introduce Double and explain how Iris actually became Zero's spotter; though canonically, she took care of both X and Zero in Megaman Xtreme 2, it also seems to be implied that Double was the one that served as X navigator or spotter during Megaman X4.

It should also be noted that the 7th Unit is the Air Cavalry of the Maverick Hunters that used to be under the command of Storm Eagle prior to the events of Megaman X.

Preview: As time went, Zero and Iris became fast friends; the red hunter found it quite refreshing as she didn't had many girl friends, though she did believe that Iris behaved a little oddly around her. However, Theta's last words continues to haunt Zero as her suspicions on X's new assistant grows, urging her to find what was the content of this mysterious data that the late navigator attempted to steal. As for the recent disappearances and murders that had occurred, it seemed as if the perpetrator had simply vanished… Next Chapter: The Inside Threat.


	20. The Inside Threat

Chapter 20

The Inside Threat

At first, Zero was a little worried about having Iris as her spotter; much to her surprise, the girl proved to be more than up to the task and became a valuable asset upon which the red hunter could rely on. Even more so, Iris and Zero actually became fast friends after their first weeks together; the latter found her to be a kind and caring person with a strong disdain for violence, while the other seemed to have developed a great fondness for the red hunter that went almost to the brink of admiration.

This situation proved to be quite refreshing for Zero, she didn't really had any girl friends since female reploids were scarce within the field units, and those that made it in them often ended up being extremely competitive and didn't seemed to have any interest beyond proving their superiority. The more she knew Iris, the more she realized that she had somehow forgotten how to be a girl; she had been surrounded by male hunters all for as long as she could remember and had developed a rather tomboyish attitude of her own. The female hunter even began to wonder if any maverick hunter, beyond the newest ones, still realized that she was, in fact, a girl.

However, no matter how well they were getting along, there were still a few subjects of tensions between them; Iris kind nature sometimes led her to be a little too overprotective with the red hunter and she often urged Zero not to fight even when facing mavericks, which often led to heated arguments because the female hunter refused to let any maverick free to cause any more harm. Also, Zero thought that her spotter was acting a little oddly when they were alone; she was fine when there was at least one more person not too far away from them, but otherwise, she seemed to be suddenly overcome with shyness…

Unfortunately, Iris arrival wasn't the only thing on Zero's mind, her nightmare had continued to manifest itself even more frequently and it seemed like it was planning to stick around for quite a while. This dream made her feel as if someone was toying with her mind, why the hell would she kill X and who the hell was that old man? She still couldn't make any sense out of it and spent the remainder of each nights tinkering on her saber.

Today, Zero was assigned to patrol the headquarter until the evening when another hunter would come to relieve her; everything seemed to be fine, she hadn't spotted anything out of the ordinary and soon found out that X was the one that had been assigned for the night shift. For once, it seemed like Double had finally decided to give him a break, the fat reploid had taken a habit of following him almost everywhere; this might the perfect opportunity for her to speak to him about the fat reploid's strange behavior, she had caught him snooping around the HQ a few times in the past month and began to wonder what he was up to. She said. _**Hey X, how come that Double isn't sticking to you as usual?**_

The blue reploid was happy see her, they both had been quite busy adjusting totheir new spotter and hadn't had much opportunities to see each others except when they were coincidentally assigned to the same job. X answered. **Nice to see you, Zero. I sent him to do an errand for me, things are just a little too lively when he's around and I needed a break.**

_**You're talking about his usual blunders?**_

**Kind of and there's also the fact that he's practically following me everywhere and I simply can't bring myself to tell him that I can't stand it.**

It wasn't that surprising, from what she had seen, Double seemed to be of a hindrance than of any help. _**Yeah, he's a strange one, isn't he?**_

**What do you mean? Alright, he's a little clumsy, but he's trying hard at least.**

**_I wanted to speak to you about this for a while; did he tell you anything about what he was doing before he became your assistant?_**

X replied. **I haven't really asked him, he must be from one of those obscure units posted around the city.**

**_Really? Are you sure he didn't tell you something like for how long he had been a maverick hunter or something similar?_**

The blue reploid was starting to wonder why she was suddenly asking so many questions about Double. **Zero, what are you getting at?**

**_Well, I caught him a few times snooping around the HQ in the past month, especially during the nights when I was having insomnias. I asked several hunters and nobody seem to know him._**

**Aren't you being a little too suspicious? You're the one who told me that we shouldn't second guess everything.**

He was right, of course; but what if he truly was the traitor that her late navigator spoke of. **_I know, but don't you think it's strange for someone like him to pop out of nowhere like that? Judging from his weight, he must have been designed for heavy labor or something similar, and he doesn't seem to be that good in that regard. It seems a little fishy that someone like him would be given a promotion, isn't that right?_**

**You should really try to get over those insomnias; you're becoming a little paranoid.**

Maybe she was, but X had shown before that he was especially naïve in such circumstances, what if he ended up as the next target of this murderous maverick that had suddenly vanished… **_Maybe you're right, but if you ask me, this guy is trouble._**

**He seems harmless enough to me. Anyway, how is it going with Iris? You two seem to be getting along well.**

She hadn't thought that he would have noticed, but it was true that she had spent a lot of time with Iris in the past weeks. **_I suppose that's right. It can't hurt to get along with the one that's supposed to watch your back._**

**I spoke to her a few times; she's a very nice girl… I didn't know that you had friends amongst Repliforce though.**

Zero didn't really want to lie to him, but it would probably be simpler if Iris involvement in Theta's demise was kept a secret. **_That's more of a coincidence than anything else, I helped her out of a bind a while ago and I never even dreamed that I would end up working with her._**

**Good for you, I suppose. Now, go and get some sleep, I'll take over from here.**

She figured that he must have been right; maybe some sleep would help her see things more clearly. **_Thanks, see ya!_**

---

A few moments later, within the briefing room…

Zero couldn't help it, she was still pondering what she said about Double, she wondered if he might not had been one of those hunters that Theta spoke of. In fact, she had made up her mind, she was on her way to ask for Iris's help in order to solve this puzzle; there were only a few select peoples, who had access to the hunters database, but Theta just happened to have been one of those persons and by extension, Iris was now one of them. The brown-haired reploid was about to leave when Zero arrived. She asked. _Zero? Weren't you supposed to be patrolling the HQ today?_

**_Yeah, I was, but X just relieved me. I was wondering if you would help me with something._**

_Sure, what can I help you with?_

The female hunter answered. **_I'd like to access the hunters database, there's a file I'd like to consult, but I don't have the password to open it._**

_You know that I'm not supposed to give it to you, right? There's a lot of confidential information in there._

Iris was right; they would probably be in some serious trouble if they were caught and without her help, she might as well forget about it. **_You're right, I shouldn't have asked, sorry…_**

_I can't give you the password, but I can consult this file and if you peek over my shoulder, there's no way they could blame me since they gave me the right to consult them._

Zero asked in disbelief. **_You're… Serious?_**

_Yes… But don't tell anyone, ok?_

**_Thank you, Iris._**

_N-No problem, Zero… _The brown-haired reploid was a little embarrassed by her gratitude, but she went on. _So, what file am I supposed to look for?_

**_Anything you can find on Double._**

Iris seemed a little skeptical when she heard her request, she expected something a little more important. _Why do you need to see that?_

**_It might just be my imagination, but there's something fishy about him and I want to know if he's up to something._**

_I see… I'm almost there… _Iris began to search the database and the results appeared on the monitor, the female reploid seemed surprised for some reasons. _Huh?_

**_What is it?_**

The brown-haired reploid explained. _There's only his hunter profile, nothing else; normally, there's always at least a few reports concerning the operations in which the hunter was part of or a transfer notice since he had a promotion. But there isn't anything else._

**_Show me his profile._**

_There you go._

Zero read the file and learned that he had been a maverick hunter for about four months and apparently had great skills in data analysis, from her personal experience and from what she had seen of him, his specks couldn't possibly be this high; but beyond this and the missing files that Iris pointed out, everything seemed normal. There was nothing to be found in there, but maybe… **_Is there a log on this computer that remembers when someone logs in?_**

_Yes, there is one, why do you ask?_

The red hunter replied. _**See if you can find when Theta last logged.** _

_Huh?!?_

**_I know that this won't be easy for you, but we might just find out why she was so desperate to get away with the data she stole._**

Iris seemed to be caught in an inner turmoil, she would probably learn why she had been involved into this mess, but she wasn't exactly sure if she wanted to know; she finally gave up and brought up the log on the screen. _Alright…Here it is, though I don't know what you expect to find…_

In fact, Zero already knew what she was looking for, but she wanted to be sure that she wasn't wrong. It seemed that her suspicions were funded; Theta had indeed logged an hour before her theft. _**Can you show me what files she consulted when she logged there?** _

_But that's…_

**_Yeah, I know._**

Iris couldn't help it, she also wanted to know; she did the necessary operations and found that only a single file had been opened by the late navigator. **_Is there a history for this file?_**

The brown-haired reploid nodded and brought it on the screen. Zero discovered that this was no coincidence; the file had been updated the very night before the theft, this was indeed what she had been looking for. _Do I?_

**_Yeah, open it._**

… _That's strange… The computer is asking for my password again… This must be a highly classified file._ The eyes of both reploids widened as their eyes lay on the content of this file. There was no way that this could be what she had stolen. It was… Zero's blueprints, along with the latest upgrades that she had received; her saber, the thinning of her armor, the disappearance of her buster and everything else… All was there, there was no mistake. Iris seemed even more shocked than she was. _This… This makes no sense… Why would she…_

**_No, this is what she was after. But how could I possibly have something to do with this?…_**

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well, here it is, you finally know what was the actual content of the files that Theta had stolen, which will also serve to drive the plot later on. As you can see, there isn't much that is covered in this chapter, mainly became it was necessary to explain how Zero and Iris eventually became closer than just mere acquaintances.

From what I have planned, there is still a minimum of two introductory chapters to cover before we actually get at the very beginning of Megaman X4; so, bear with me a little longer.

Preview: Her recent discoveries seemed to have confused Zero even more than she already was, and on the top of this, she always seemed to lose attention of what was going on around her in order to attempt to figure out what why she Theta had tried to obtain her schematics. During this time, an officer from Repliforce shows up and asks Zero to lead him to the ones in charge of the maverick hunters. Who is this mysterious officer? What does he exactly wants from the maverick hunters? Next Chapter: Zero's obsession.


	21. Steel Eyed Soldier

Chapter 21

Steel-Eyed Soldier

It was yesterday that Zero learned that the files that Theta had sought were none other than her own schematics, she couldn't help but to wonder how and why the hell she had anything to do with this; if this was true, then she was responsible for the death of two maverick hunters and also of Iris involvement in this matter. To the hunters that she was supposed to assist, she had daydreamed through the whole morning; no matter what they did or said, she just wouldn't snap out of it and help them to repair this garage. Worrying about this probably wouldn't change anything, but what could anyone possibly do with her blueprints? How would this have anything to do with ending the endless war against the mavericks?

At noon, a reploid stopped by and attempted to figure out what they were doing; the female hunter supposed that he must have been another one of those ambitious newly appointed officers that became so common since the arrival of the last batch of rookies. The tall reploid shouted to get their attention.

The hunter that had been in charge of handling the repairs answered from above a pile of crates, where he had been fixing a few cables. What do you want?

The unknown officer explained. **I happen to be lost and I can't seem to find my way to the briefing room, could any of you escort me there? I have some important business to discuss with the high command of the mavericks hunters. **

Unlike what Zero had previously believed, it seemed like this guy wasn't a maverick hunter after all, he must have been really important if he could get an appointment with the big wigs. The hunter in charge of the operation called for her; upon her arrival, he said. Zero, take care of this guy while we finish those repairs; you haven't been of any help today, so you'd better do this right or I'll have to report you.

That guy was right, she'd better focus or she might get in trouble again; she jumped down from the crates and went to meet with their weird visitor. As she arrived before him, the unknown officer found nothing more to tell her than. **State your name.**

Just her luck, this guy was probably very full of himself to have the nerves to ask her name like this. The female reploid didn't have any other choice anyway, so she answered. _**Zero, I'm the one who will take you there. **_Once she was done, Zero vaguely noticed an insignia of Repliforce on this reploid battle armor; this was the first time that she actually saw one of their officers.

**Then, Zero; if you don't mind, I'd like us to be on our way. I'm in a hurry.**

Great, she absolutely had to fall on the haughtiest officer in all Repliforce, and he hadn't even bothered to greet her. _**Yeah, whatever you want. Let's get this over with.**_

While they were on their way, Zero took this opportunity to get a closer look at the guy. He seemed to be a variation from the usual command reploid model; those particular models attempted to create the illusion that the reploid was wearing a long-sleeved black coat and a peaked cap. However, unlike them, this particular reploid was wearing a white battle armor over his coat, that went down to his legs; this battle armor had several golden stripes intended to make his rank obvious and also displayed a belt on his waist, from which a black cylindrical device was hanging. His shoulders were protected by two shoulder pads, each from which a black conical needle sprouted.

Strangely enough, his arms and legs were almost completely unarmored while he still kept a chin guard to protect his neck; it almost seemed as if he wanted to be protected as much as possible while sacrificing little mobility. From what Zero could gather, he seemed to be more of a soldier than an officer; every step he made was almost clockwork, and his steely eyes held no emotions, just like a mechaniloid.

Much like she expected, he wasn't very talkative; in fact, he hadn't said a word since they had left. The female hunter asked. _**So, what are you doing here? What could bring an officer from Repliforce here?**_

**My business is my own, and I'd prefer that you didn't insist any further.**

This guy was cold; there was no doubt about it. _**Fine, have it your way.**_

After entering the briefing room, they encountered Iris that was carrying several fragile pieces of equipment, Zero greeted her. _**Hey, Iris.**_

The brown-haired reploid dropped everything that she was carrying and seemed to be in great shock, she mumbled. _C-Col- Colonel!_

The female hunter's mysterious guest replied. **Iris.**

Zero had already supposed that she might know about this guy, but she never expected that she would be so affected by it. She asked in surprise. _**You two know each others?**_

The reploid that she had called Colonel didn't say a word while Iris finished gathering her wits and the equipment that she had dropped and said. _R-Right… I'm sorry. Colonel, this is Zero, she's the maverick hunter that I was assigned with. Zero, this is my brother, Colonel._

It seemed like it was the red hunter's turn to be shocked; how could this guy possibly be related to Iris… _But… What are you doing here, Colonel? _

**What? I'm not intruding, am I?**

_No… That's not it, but I'm just surprised that you have found time to come and see me…_

**General asked me to discuss something with the hunters, so I hoped that I might see how you were doing. You seem as fine as ever, sister.**

Iris noticed the big interrogation mark on Zero's face and asked. _Zero… You sure you're alright?_

The female hunter gathered her own wits and answered. _**Yeah, don't mind me.**_

Colonel took a glance at Zero's beam saber that had been hanging on her own belt and went on. **In any case, are the hunters treating you well? **

_Yes, everyone has been very kind to me, especially Zero._

**Good, good. I'm sorry, but I have to hurry and meet with the high command, I'll stop by when I'm done. Until then, see you, sister.**

_Bye Colonel._

The tall reploid took a few steps away from Iris and stopped before the red reploid, he seemed to be about a head taller than she was and almost looked… frightening. He nodded and simply said. **Zero.**

Afterward, he went on his way and left both female reploids together. _**Can I get an explanation now? This guy is… Your brother?**_

_Well… You remember that officer from Repliforce that helped me to get transferred here?_

_**Yeah.**_

_That was Colonel, as you already know, he's my brother; but he's also one of the highest ranked officers within Repliforce and perhaps second only to the leader of Repliforce himself._

That would explain a lot, he couldn't possibly have developed this ego by being a mere subordinate. _**But… You never told me that you had a brother, right? And he doesn't look like you at all…**_

_You never asked. Besides, I can assure you that we really are siblings. I suppose he must have been a little mean with you, right?_

_**How did you guess?**_

Of course, Iris probably knew better than she did. _He is always like that when he's on duty, he's very serious when it comes to matters directly involved with Repliforce and tends to expect a lot from peoples around him. But he's a very sweet person… Once you get to know him._

_**You really do like your brother, huh?**_

_Yeah… Say, why don't you meet up with us when you're done with your shift? I'm sure that he would be happy to get to know you._

The red hunter wasn't exactly sure if she wanted to get to know him, but since he was Iris brother, she supposed that she should at least make an effort. _**Fine, I'll do that, see ya…**_

---

Now that her shift was over, Zero hurried to meet up with Iris; she quickly found out that her spotter was already waiting for her along the way, her brother also happened to be a little early. The brown-haired reploid seemed a little nervous, though she did everything she could to make it seem like she was confident that the female hunter and Colonel would behave for her sake, regardless of their first encounter. _**Sorry, I'm late, am I?**_

_No, Colonel just came back a few minutes ago._

The red hunter used this opportunity to give Colonel a little of his own medicine by greeting him the same way that he left, she nodded and said in a tone similar to his own. _**Colonel.**_

Of course, the tall reploid didn't really pay any attention to it and said. **Zero. I must say that this is quite a coincidence that arrived when you did; we were talking about you just now. **

_**Really? And what exactly were you talking about?**_

**My sister has just informed me that you are the one that saved her from the clutch of this maverick that caused so much trouble at this base. Is that true?**

Iris lost no time and answered before Zero could say anything. _Of course she is._

The tall officer raised his hand in her direction, probably to tell her to remain quiet and replied. **I want to hear it from her. Are you the one that saved my sister?**

_**Yeah, though she's the one that distracted her long enough for me to free her from her grasp.**_

Much to her surprise, Colonel said. **I am grateful for what you did. It is a dept that I can never truly repay… Thank you, Zero.** The tall reploid presented his right hand to her, probably as both a gesture of reconciliation and of gratitude.

The female hunter was unsure whether she should accept it or not, she took a glance at Iris who seemed even more nervous than before, which convinced her to accept the truce, at least, for now... She shook his hand and replied. _**You're welcome.**_

The brown-haired spotter breathed a sigh of relief while Colonel studied the female hunter more closely, probably to ensure that she hadn't lied to him._ Why don't we leave the HQ, it's beautiful outside and we'll be more comfortable to chat._

The three reploid went outside and Iris broke the unsettling silence that had settled between them while they were leaving the HQ. _Did you know that Zero was also an officer within the hunters?_

Even for Colonel, it seemed pretty obvious that Iris was trying to find some common ground between them. **Is that so?**

_Yes, she's in charge of her own unit and is also very skilled with a beam saber, much like you are._

**So, you're telling me that she is gifted with both leadership abilities and combat skills?**

Zero didn't especially like to be left out of the hook so she said. _**I don't know about the leadership, but I suppose that I can defend myself well enough with a saber.**_

_You're being too modest, Zero; you're simply amazing,_

Despite his skepticism, Colonel admitted. **I suppose she must be, not many combat reploid have the skills to fight properly with a beam saber, but that might be something that I will have to see for myself. Say, Zero, how about a friendly duel between just the two of us? The maverick hunters against the Repliforce?**

It seemed like Colonel had triggered yet another outburst from Iris sensible spot, she probably didn't want them to fight each others after they first met. _Colonel! You can't possibly think to…_

Zero knew fully well that her spotter wouldn't like it, but this might be the perfect opportunity to put this guy back to his place. _**Fine, I'll do it. **_

_Zero…_

**Draw your weapon then.** The tall reploid took the cylindrical device that hanged from his belt and a long crimson blade appeared from what seemed to be his own beam saber. He took a stance that Zero had never seen before and waited for her to do the same. The female hunter ignited her Z-Saber and waited for him to announce the beginning of the duel. **Interesting…**

_**What?**_

**I usually can tell what kind of person I'm fighting just by looking at her weapon, but yours… It's custom made, isn't it?**

What was that supposed to be? Could he be trying to intimidate her or what? _**That's right, I customized it myself.**_

**Hmmm… This should be interesting. Prepare yourself!**

Iris attempted to stop them by shouting. _Stop it!_

It was far too late; Colonel had already dashed in her direction and swung a fierce blow at her, whom she parried with her blade…

---

About fifteen minutes later…

Colonel was… Too strong for her; Zero soon found herself biting the dust after a rather impressive display of strength on Colonel's part. She had managed to keep him at bay for a while, but the tall reploid proved to be more skilled than she was; Zero's eyes caught a foot before her and as she raised her head, she saw see him lending her a hand to help her stand. She reluctantly accepted his help and found herself back on her two feet. He asked. **You alright?**

Aside from her pride, she still seemed to be in one piece. _**Could have been worse I guess…**_

**Impressive, I have to admit that you are tougher than I expected; you have much potential…**

_**Drop it. You've won fair and square, there's nothing more to it.**_ The female hunter attempted to see if Iris was still there, but couldn't seem to find her.

Colonel noticed and simply said. **She left after the first two minutes.**

_**I suppose that I should be used to it by now…**_

**I'm partly to blame for this; she can't stand to see peoples fight whatever the circumstances are.**

_**She wasn't always like this?**_

The female reploid sensed a hint of guilt from his voice as he said. **She was, but her aversion for this kind of things wasn't that strong back then. I used to be quite reckless and have found myself on the brink of death more often than I can recount, I guess that this only made things worse for her. She worries too much; I guess that she would like nothing more than to see everyone living happily and in peace...**

This was probably this supposed sweet side that Iris spoke of, at the very least, he seemed to be sincere in his concern for his sister; this might be the only real thing that they have in common. At least, this proved that he might not be as emotionless as she previously believed. _**So that's what that is.**_

**In any case, I have to go back and make my report. I thank you for keeping an eye on my sister, she seems happy here and that's all that matters to me. Farewell.**

And so, Colonel began to leave, until he heard the female reploid voice. _**Colonel…**_

The tall reploid stopped and asked. **What?**

_**I definitely won't lose next time.**_

Her bravado made him smile, though she couldn't see it since he had his back turned on her. **Perhaps.**

This might not have been the best way to say it, but she would settle this score, no matter what it would take. _**You can count on it…**_

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Well, it seem that with the addition of Colonel, most of the cast has been completed for this particular part of the series. Though, this chapter may be very questionable considering the great amount of coincidence involved in the meeting between Zero and Colonel; fate seem to have a very peculiar habit of having the right peoples at the right place and time, both in real life and especially within games such as the X series.

As for the matter of the duel, I didn't found it necessary to cover it at this point in time; but there's no need to worry, eventually, it will be necessary for me to do so.

Preview: Even though she was reluctant at first, Zero and Colonel soon began to mutually respect each others; Zero even began to become obsessed with those contests, so much in fact, that she spent all of her free time sparring with Colonel. However, a few hunters were starting to ask questions and Iris began to act even more strangely than usual. Eventually, the brown-haired reploid came to her with a strange request. What is happening to her? What could Iris possibly want with her? Next Chapter: Iris's Secret.


	22. Iris's Secret

Chapter 22

Iris's Secret

Since that day, Zero and Colonel met repeatedly and eventually grew to respect each other. The female reploid couldn't understand what was happening to her; she spent almost all of her free time with him and no matter how much she tried, she couldn't take her mind off those duels anymore. Of course, this kind of unhealthy obsession was eventually noticed by those close to her; X began to get worried about her and asked a little too much questions for her liking, it was true that she might have neglected him in the past weeks, but she still believed that she knew exactly what she was doing.

The more she thought about it, the less she understood why she was so driven to defeat him. In fact, she didn't even know what to think of him. They weren't exactly friends and they knew too much about each other to be considered acquaintance; even though he taught her how to improve her skills with a saber, he wasn't a mentor. A rival perhaps? She couldn't find any other way to describe it; but how could they be rivals when he was clearly stronger than she was?

As expected, Iris was delighted to see that they spent so much time together, but the female hunter knew that something had been bothering her lately; her behavior seemed to have drastically changed, she seemed to be increasingly anxious, as if she was waiting for something to happen. Of course, her spotter denied that something was wrong, but Zero knew fully well that she was lying. The brown-haired spotter proved to be even more tight-lipped as time passed, and Colonel didn't seem to know any more than she already did.

However, one day, the female hunter found herself between two assignments and Iris came to her. Her spotter seemed happier than usual and after greeting her, she asked. _Zero, I was wondering… Do you have any time off today?_

The red hunter wondered why she was asking something like this so suddenly and said. _**Why?**_

_Well… I am off duty today and I wanted to go somewhere… So, I was wondering if you would like to come with me._

**_Sorry Iris, today is no good; I have something to take care of and I believe that this will take quite a while._**

The brown-haired reploid seemed very disappointed at her answer, but she still replied. _That's too bad… I suppose I'll have to go on my own…_

Then, Zero remembered something that might help her to get around this assignment, though she still questioned Iris's motives. _**I might be able to make this work out, though it won't be that easy.**_

A sparkle of hope appeared within Iris's eyes and she shyly asked. _R-Really…? But wouldn't this get you in trouble?_

_**No, I suppose I can collect a few favors here and there; that is, if you really want me to. **_Iris silently nodded. _**Alright then, give me about half-an-hour and I'll be ready to go.**_

_Thank you, Zero…_

_**Your welcome, see ya!**_

---

To be honest, Magma Dragoon wasn't that hard to convince, he happened to be the only other hunter that she knew that was off-duty and he still owed her for what happened when Theta turned maverick. After all, he was in no position to refuse her anything; if she hadn't replaced him that day, he might have died along with this mechanic that he was supposed to guard.

Afterward, Zero caught up with her spotter and they headed toward the airport of Able City; there, they boarded a crowded shuttle that was headed for a destination known to all but the female hunter. They managed to get a minimum of privacy in the back of the shuttle; Zero was still wondering what this was all about and Iris seemed to be a little uncomfortable, though the female reploid supposed that this had something to do with all of those peoples that were around them. She asked. _**So what is this all about? Where are we headed and who are those peoples?**_

_You'll think I'm silly if I tell you now… You'll find out soon enough._

_**Huh?**_

_Please, just be a little more patient, we'll be there in no time._

Zero shrugged, leaned on the nearest wall and felt a small pressure coming from her back; she moved to see what was behind her and noticed a small circular window. Apparently, they were probably very high in the sky, because female reploid could barely see anything beyond the clouds that were surrounding the shuttle.

Iris remained silent for a while, so the red hunter vaguely continued to look though the window; at some point, Zero had the strange feeling that someone was staring at her, but every time she looked, she saw nothing else but the brown-haired reploid that seemed to have set her mind on her own window. The red hunter eventually grew bored of staring at the window and rested her back on a free corner of the wall; that is, until she was interrupted by Iris, who had gotten quite lively all of a sudden. _Come over here Zero, quickly!_

_**What's the matter, Iris?**_

_Just hurry up! _The female hunter reached her friend's side. _Look through the window._

After taking a closer look, Zero noticed something unusual between the clouds; it was a huge city resting upon a gigantic metallic disk that was covered by a thick glass dome and that peacefully floated within the sky. She had never seen anything like that, it was so unreal, she couldn't even find any word to describe it, it was just… beautiful. _**This can't be… What is this city doing here…?**_

_This place is called Sky Lagoon; this is an experimental city that was completed just a while ago, it is still relatively unknown for now, but it's just a matter of time before peoples settles in._

It was the first time that Zero had ever heard about this place and it was also the first time that she had heard about a city that levitated within the sky. _**How come that you know this place?**_

_I accidentally stumbled upon it while I was working for Repliforce; I like to come here and relax every once in a while, it's just so peaceful…_

_**And what do I have to do in all this?**_

Iris explained. _Well… Nothing really, I am just more comfortable having you around; I guess I was too afraid to come here on my own since that maverick tried to kill me…_

_**I'm sorry that I couldn't rescue you earlier…**_

_You did your best. And I'm… grateful for that…but even someone like you need to take a break from time to time; you're always working so hard, I figured that some time away from the HQ would help you relax._

_**I don't mind working all the time, that's the only thing I am able to do, I might as well put my skills to good use.**_

For some reason, it seemed like she had upset the brown-haired reploid. _Oh, stop acting all high and mighty; you are not just a tool, you know._

The red hunter shrugged and answered in a perfectly neutral manner._**Maybe.**_

---

A few minutes later within Sky Lagoon…

After stepping out of the docking bay, both female reploids were stuck within a long line that led to an old white-haired reploid that gave a pass to everyone that entered the city. Iris seemed to have been coming here quite often since the mustached reploid who gave them the pass immediately recognized her and even asked how she had been doing; apparently, she hadn't come here ever since she joined the maverick hunters and the old reploid had even begun to worry about her.

Once within the city, the Iris began to show her the nicest part of the city. Strangely, large tubes of glass, within which the visitors could stop and admire the magnificent scenery that the freshly built city had to offer, linked the whole city. Zero wasn't exactly interested in this kind of things, but she had to admit that this place seemed far cleaner and far more peaceful than Able City; though this place would probably become the same as any other city once the humans and reploids would have settled here permanently.

By the end of the afternoon, they found themselves within one of the artificial parks that could be found within the lowest part of the city; they were actually lost and were trying to find a way back to the upper levels of the city. The female hunter asked. _**Are you sure that this is the right way? I'm pretty sure that we've been here before.**_

_According to the map that we saw fifteen minutes ago, there should be an elevator somewhere around here…_ For a moment, Zero heard something move behind them and immediately turned to investigate, but found nothing more than the rustling of leaves within the trees. _What's wrong Zero?_

_**You haven't heard anything?**_

_What are you talking about?_

_**I must be getting paranoid…**_ No, she was right; as soon as she finished her sentence, a strong gust sent the hairs of both reploids fly in the wind while they attempted to realize what was going on. Zero then sensed something coming toward them and instinctively pushed Iris to the ground so that they might take cover from the imminent threat; both female reploids found themselves on the ground, while sensing yet another gust of wind near them. The female hunter raised her eyes to the sky and saw a large green mechaniloid with two large metallic wings on his back.

After making sure that everything was safe around them, Zero helped her spotter to stand and saw three reploids running in their direction. One of them asked in a serious tone. **Are you two ok? Did you see which way he went?!**

_Huh?_

The female hunter pointed her finger in the direction that she last saw the giant green mechaniloid and said. _**Yeah, he went that way.**_

**We're sorry; we've been after him all day and never even got close to catch him.**

_**What is that thing anyway?**_

**This is Eregion, he's supposed to be a mascot for Sky Lagoon, but he has been a little grumpy today; I doubt that he would have hurt you, but we'd better catch him before he can cause any more harm. Sorry and have a nice day! **The three reploids quickly went after the large mechaniloid and left both reploids to their own business.

Iris was still confused about what had just happened and asked. _What was… that? I haven't seen anything._

_**Must be a mechaniloid malfunctioning, seems like we were lucky that he wasn't after us; that thing was huge.**_

The brown-haired reploid sighed and felt a few raindrops falling on her. _You seem to have a knack for attracting trouble, don't you?_

_**Would you mind if we discussed this somewhere else, we're gonna rust in no time if we stay in the open…**_

---

Near an elevator leading to the upper levels of Sky Lagoon…

The rain was pouring outside when Iris and Zero made it within the nearest elevator. The brown-haired reploid ran inside and said. _At last, we made it…_

_**Yeah, this sure was close.**_

_I suppose that this wasn't exactly your idea of a calm day…_

Zero replied. _**Well, except for that mechaniloid and the sudden rain, it wasn't that bad.**_

_Aren't you upset with me for dragging you all the way here?_

_**Not really, I had a great time before all of this happened, but I suppose it can't be helped.**_

_Yeah, you're right._

For some reasons unknown to them, they both fell silent and waited for the elevator to bring them to the upper levels. The female hunter kept looking at the raindrops that were covering the glass before her; she wouldn't want to be outside at a time like this. About halfway toward the upper levels, Iris asked. _Zero?_

The female hunter continued to stare at the raindrops and replied. _**What?**_

_Would you mind if I asked you something personal?_

Her spotter seemed to have become serious all of a sudden, what did she exactly want with her? _**Ask away, though I may not answer.**_

_Well… You and X, you know each other since a long time, right?_

It seemed a little strange to the female hunter that Iris would ask something like that to her, but she still answered. _**Yeah, I've known him for as long as I can remember.**_

_What is he for you?_

_**What do you mean?**_

_I saw you together a few times, and you two really seem to get along well, so I was wondering… Are you and X… a couple?_

What was that just now? She and X… a couple? She had never thought of it that way, and for some reason, she couldn't help but to chuckle slightly. _**So that's what this is all about…**_

Seeing Zero's strange reaction, Iris said shyly. _Y-You don't have to answer if you don't want to…_

The red hunter turned around to face the other female reploid and said. _**You have nothing to worry about, X and I are just friend, nothing more. So, he's all yours.**_

The brown-haired reploid couldn't hide her surprise. _Huh?!?_

The female hunter couldn't help but to laugh at her reaction, she was probably ashamed to admit that she had a crush on X. _**I'm telling you that I won't stop you if you want to date him, I'll even give you a hand if you want.**_

Her spotter seemed to be suddenly panicked and quickly replied. _You… You got it all wrong I-I…_

Iris was probably afraid that she might have feelings for X, but to be honest, she never saw him as anything more than a friend. _**I understood perfectly, though I can't say I blame you; X is a nice guy and I suppose that it's not a bad choice for a first crush, hehe!**_

_T-That's not…_

_**Don't worry, I won't tell anything, just take your time; I'm sure that you'll make a wonderful couple.**_

The red hunter couldn't help but to chuckle as she heard the brown-haired reploid sigh deeply as she began to look at the raindrop on her own side of the elevator…

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I have to admit that I am proud of this chapter, I had it planned for a long while and it took me a while to figure out which pieces of these events were the most meaningful for what I was attempting to pull off; in the end, I believe I managed to give it the exact feeling that I wanted it to have.

Of course, the most meaningful part would probably be the end of this chapter, that happen to have a rather significant emotional impact on the plot. Beyond that, it should also be noted that the appearance of Eregion was intentionally put and perhaps slightly altered in order to fit what I was trying to do.

Preview: After their return from Sky Lagoon, Zero decided to go meet up with Colonel in order to have another duel with him. Meanwhile, X finally decides to confront her about what she was doing with the officer from Repliforce and is determined to obtain the answers that he seeks. However, something strange occurs, something that Zero would never had thought possible and that might change her life forever. Will X be able to learn the truth about Zero's obsession? Next Chapter: Fateful Day.


	23. Fateful Day

Chapter 23

Fateful Day

Zero would have thought that Iris would have felt relieved after what she had told her, but for some reasons, her spotter didn't seem to be satisfied with her answer and ended up being particularly quiet during the remainder of their trip.

Once they returned to the Maverick Hunters Headquarter, Iris went her own way and Zero realized that she still had plenty of time to kill before her next shift. The female reploid remembered that Colonel was supposed to be off-duty this evening, she had completely forgotten about it since she had never expected that her spotter would ask her out so suddenly.

Of course, she couldn't relinquish the prospect of having yet another duel with him. She couldn't understand what came over her when such an opportunity arose, it was as if her whole being had focused on the single purpose of defeating him. The female hunter wondered why she couldn't restrain herself any more, was it pride? Was it rivalry? Or just sport? She couldn't tell, but somehow, she believed that he knew; after all, why would he bother to train her while he could simply devote his time to more important matters.

Once she was done warming up, she headed for Repliforce HQ where Colonel was reprimanding a group of lazy reploids; she wasn't that surprised, off-duty or not, he couldn't tolerate any lack of discipline from his underlings. From the corner of his eye, the tall reploid noticed her and abruptly ordered them to get back to work.

Once he was done, he rushed toward her and said. **Zero, weren't you supposed to be on duty today?**

She answered. _**Iris managed to talk me out of it; to make it short, I have plenty of time to kill and decided to meet up with you.**_

**May I assume that your motive is the same as usual?**

_**Yeah.**_

By the way that he had formulated his question, she would have expected some kind of disapproval on his part, but his expression remained the same as ever. **Then, let us be on our way…**

---

About half an hour later…

Zero was especially hard pressed under Colonel's constant assaults; by now, he had managed to corner her in a position where she couldn't possibly escape. She wouldn't hold much longer, unless… unless she did something drastic. She parried the incoming blow and retaliated with an horizontal slice, whom the tall reploid blocked diagonally with his own beam saber; then, she immediately attempted to make him lower his guard with another diagonal blow headed directly toward his saber. This last assault had forced him to lower his guard completely in order to maintain his grip on his weapon, but he soon realized as he fell down that the female reploid had used this opportunity to trip him.

Colonel's grip loosened and his saber rolled a few inches away from him, Zero raised her blade above her head and was now holding her saber with both hands; the red hunter unleashed a large vertical blow headed straight toward the tall reploid, who witnessed the terrifying sight of the green blade of energy heading toward him. Colonel would never forget the look of desperation in her eyes as the blade was about to land on him, but it suddenly stopped about two inches from him; he could hear the female hunter breathing heavily as she was realizing what had just happened, she said. _**I-I did it…**_

Zero was shaking when she turned off her saber and allowed him to stand back on his two feet. The tall reploid almost couldn't believe it, she had won just as she said; he wondered where she had learned this combo, it wasn't like anything he had seen before and couldn't help but to feel pride as he realized that she had finally surpassed him.

For some reasons, something about the way Zero reacted bothered him. For someone who had trained so hard to accomplish this, she didn't seem to be happy at all; in fact, it was all the opposite. It became obvious that something was wrong with her when he tried to congratulate her; she had found nothing better to do than to mumble an excuse and run away…

---

Two days later, at the Maverick Hunters HQ…

Zero felt terrible about how she had reacted, she couldn't even understand why she had run away in the first place; but back then, it seemed like her mind had completely shattered upon the realization of what had just happened. The following days had been hell for her, it seemed like everything had lost its interest and she couldn't find anything that could take her out of her boredom; as much as she had never felt so alive during past weeks, she now felt completely empty.

In fact, she hadn't even found the courage to go apologize to Colonel for running away so suddenly; she was too afraid to face him now that the feeling was gone, this need to see him bite the dust was gone and she knew fully well that it just wouldn't come back now. Also, she feared the fact that it was now pointless for them to meet again since he had nothing else to teach her and that she no longer had anything to prove; why was it affecting her so? She shouldn't mind since they weren't exactly friends.

Ever since this incident, the female hunter had done her best to avoid both Iris and X since they would probably start asking questions, which she probably wouldn't be able to answer. Unfortunately, it seemed like fate kept conspiring against her since X had managed to catch her after one of her Unit's training sessions. The blue reploid began. **Whew… So that's where you've been, finding you is really starting to get tricky…**

Zero attempted to sound as natural as possible, but upon hearing herself, she believed that she sounded almost annoyed. _**You're just not looking hard enough, that's all.**_

**Maybe, though I was beginning to think that you were avoiding me...**

The red hunter knew fully well how this would end, the mere fact that he had managed to get rid of Double for a few seconds was proof enough that he wanted to speak to her in private. _**No, I've just been really busy.**_

**Are you sure you're ok? You look a little down?**

_**Yeah, I'm just a little tired…**_

From the way that the blue reploid went on, it became pretty obvious that he was suspecting something. **Does it have something to do with all this time you spend at the Headquater of the Repliforce?**

Zero was shocked, how the hell did he know about that? _**What is that supposed to mean? Are you stalking me now?**_

**No, but I'm worried about you and I'm sure that Iris is worried too, you've haven't been yourself lately.**

_**Look, what I do of my free time is none of your business, so quit it!**_ The female reploid calmed down and realized what she had just said; he had done nothing to deserve her anger, he simply cared too much, like he always did. **_Sorry X, but I am in no mood to continue this conversation. So, if you would excuse me, I have to get some rest before my next assignment._**

The female hunter began to leave when the blue reploid said. **Alright… I'm gonna let it slide this once; but, Zero, are you sure you're ok?**

She paused for a moment and said. _**Yeah…**_

---

During the evening…

After what happened, Zero sought refuge within the training room in order to get a minimum of solitude. It was fortunate that this room wasn't used since she probably wouldn't stand being around another hunter for much longer. No matter which way she looked at it, she simply couldn't understand what was her problem; not only had she became angry at X for almost no reason but she had completely isolated herself from everyone she cared about, as if those strange nightmares weren't enough.

The female reploid remained alone for about half-an-hour before she was interrupted by someone; much to her surprise, Colonel had made it all the way to the Maverick Hunters HQ in order to see her. The tall reploid said. **So you were here all along, huh? I should have figured that much.**

He was probably the last person that she would have expected, since she proved unable to hide her surprise. _**Colonel?! What are you doing here?**_

**Isn't it obvious? I have come to request a rematch; I want to make sure that your victory wasn't only luck**

She had no idea what to say, she had already given up on him and even though he never did so before, he came to request a duel by himself; but she knew fully well that this might be her only chance to get this feeling back. _**S-Sure…**_

**Very well, defend yourself! **Colonel lost no time in order to secure the first strike for himself and charged toward her while she drew her saber…

It took about five minutes before the tall reploid ended the duel prematurely and said angrily. **If you don't intend to defend yourself then don't make me lose my time.**

Zero felt extremely pitiful about her performance, this was probably her only chance and not only had she wasted it, but she also managed to make him angry at her. She leaned on the nearest wall and allowed herself to slide on it until she reached the floor; Colonel kept looking at her until she finally mustered to say. _**Sorry…**_

The tall reploid sighed and sat beside her. **What's wrong with you, you haven't even tried and you're ready to give up that easily. That's unlike you to do something like this.**

**_It's all gone, so it's pointless to go on like this._**

**That's just as I said, this is unlike you to give up that easily.**

**_Look, don't bother with me anymore, it's pointless._**

Colonel had trouble believing that this was the same Zero that managed to turn the table when he was sure that he had defeated her. **Don't throw away all the efforts I have put in you, you aren't even trying…**

_**Look, why are you even bothering with me anyway?!**_

He sighed again and asked. **You really want to know?**

_**Well… Not really…**_

**I'll tell you anyway. You have potential, I'm sure that I am not the first to tell you so, it seems obvious enough; but any reploid can learn to use a beam saber properly. However, every once in a while, there's one who has something more, something that make them superior to their fellows…**

Zero had absolutely no idea what he was getting at; mere potential wouldn't be enough to explain why he kept trying to make her improve. _**Just what are you getting at? I'm no different than anyone else.**_

**You're wrong! You have seen what it was like to die, it seems like you're no longer afraid to die…**

_**Huh?**_

**Deep within themselves, everyone is afraid to die, me included; but you're not.**

This made absolutely no sense, there had to be something more. **_That's not true…_**

**Liar! I saw it when you defeated me, you were desperate to win, it seemed like not even death would stop you to attain your goal. You're taking far more chance than I ever would and this is what makes you a far better soldier than I'll ever be!**

**_What… you…_**

Colonel was angry that she wouldn't even recognize her luck, when he could never achieve the degree of perfection that she had attained. **It wasn't simply a selfless act, I hoped that I might learn what made you so special; for a long time I have strived to become the perfect soldier, but this is something that I probably will never be able to learn…**

The female hunter had never seen him this upset, but it was then, that she finally understood… She reached his right cheek with her hand and slowly approached him; Colonel didn't seemed to understand what was going on, that is, until their lips met…

---

Within the corridor outside the training room…

Someone was walking through the corridor when he realized that the door of the training room had been left open. This person approached to close the door when she noticed that two reploids were inside, but as she looked more closely, she realized that she knew those two persons and was filled with dread as she realized what was happening; those two reploids were intertwined in a long kiss and weren't even aware that someone was watching. This was too much to bear for this person, she ran as far as she could and then… she cried.

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Well, I believe that the conclusion of this chapter pretty much speaks for itself so I'd much rather elaborate on an issue that has been bugging me ever since I started this fanfic; how humans are reploids?

Alright, I'm not actually sure if the way I wrote it is enough self-explanatory, so I'm gonna explain it a little more thoroughly; the main problem that I have with the Megaman universe is how human robots are and more specifically, how human reploids are? The most obvious problem being that humans are such a complex Ahem machine that it makes it very complicated to decide whether reploids are only able to think and feel for themselves or are actually able to express complex emotions just as humans do; in fact, it is even more obvious within this chapter.

So, I'm going to share my conclusion with you, even though it is merely from my own point of view. Reploids, would probably be able to go as far as a kiss and even breath or sigh, even though they wouldn't actually need to breath air since both Megaman and Zero were able to survive underwater for extended periods of time. About the issue of reploids being able to cry, I believe that reploids would be human enough to cry, even though they wouldn't be able to produce tears and may very well be able to express complex emotions just as we humans do.

Preview: In the aftermath of her first kiss, Zero is forced to voice the motives behind her actions and deal with these new revelations. However, a shadow looms over the Maverick Hunters, as one of the greatest tragedies to ever befall them is about to occur. How will Zero cope with her newfound feelings and how will she deal with this new threat? Next Chapter: Disturbance at Point 5567.


	24. Disturbance at Point 5567

Chapter 24

Disturbance at Point 5567

Once the moment was gone, Colonel couldn't help but to look at the female reploid in disbelief, as he realized the implications of what she had done. He said. **How am I supposed to react?**

Zero replied a little annoyed. _**I don't know how I can make myself clearer.**_

**But, why did you…**

She sighed; it was exactly to avoid this kind of discussion that she had done this on impulse. If there was one thing that she had learned from those star-struck hunters that she had managed to scare off, it was that she had to be extremely clear to get her point across; but it seemed like there was no way to avoid it. _**Look, there's no need to make a fuss about all this… I just felt like doing it, that's all.**_

**Do you have any idea of how serious this is?! This is not the kind of thing that you…**

The female reploid interrupted him. _**It didn't felt wrong. Besides, it's not like you fought back or anything. **_

**This is not the point, why did you do that?**

_**I'm not asking you to understand; but when I ran, the other day, I was so scared; I suppose I was afraid that you wouldn't want to have anything to do with me now that you had nothing more to teach me… I thought I simply wanted to beat you, but I was wrong; I just want to be close to you… Nothing more...**_

Zero watched him stand as he took a few steps away from her; he crossed his arms and said. **So, what now?**

_**Don't ask me, I don't have a single clue. I admit that it's still seems a little strange, but I suppose it's up to you. I don't mind either way, but I don't want to have to avoid you anymore...**_

**I do not want to have to avoid you either, but do you have any idea of the repercussions of what you are asking?**

She could tell that he wasn't comfortable with what happened; after all, a kiss was probably as physically intimate as two Reploids could get, it wasn't something that was given lightly or without second thought. The female hunter didn't know what to answer him. __

**Hmph... I thought so...** It wasn't like Colonel had any problem with her or her appearance, but she was just so reckless; he had absolutely no idea how he was supposed to keep up with her, if only things had went more slowly. **I do not know if I feel the same way you do, but at least, I am willing to try; that's all I can promise...**

Zero would have preferred to be rejected rather than having to deal such an ambiguous answer, but at least, it was a start. _**That's ok with me... I suppose...**_

**I see. Then it is settled; but for now, I think we could both use some rest, I have... much to think about, and so do you.**

_**Yeah...**_

Even though Colonel was already gone, the female reploid remained there, still staring at the door through which he left; then, she hugged her knees and let out a long sigh...

---

Weeks later...

At first, Colonel and Zero's relationship was strained at best, it seemed that like neither of them knew what to do when the other was around; for some reasons, both reploids seemed to insist that they kept their relationship secret, which made it even more difficult for them to spend more time together. Fortunately, everyone seemed completely obvious to what was happening, except for X who had noticed that Zero's mood had improved within the past weeks. Considering how close both reploids were to Iris, it was almost a miracle that she hadn't noticed yet.

Even thought they wouldn't say so, both reploids were quite fond of each others and each proved to have a good influence on the other. Zero hadn't lashed out at Web Spider for quite a while even though his behavior had become more erratic lately. As for Colonel, he had begun to take a few initiatives instead of blindly following orders like he used to.

However, everything wasn't perfect, the tensions between the Maverick Hunters and Repliforce were continuing to escalate as the latter took a more active hand in the fight against the mavericks. Realizing that the hunters were primarily a reactive force, Repliforce decided to take a more proactive stance, going as far as to wipe entire districts of Sector 13; which only contributed to increase the animosity between both organizations…

---

Zero's room…

This day had been particularly tiresome for Zero and it didn't take long for her to slip into a sound sleep. However, as her awareness dwindled, she found herself within this familiar complex that had haunted her dreams for so long; but something was missing, the old man was nowhere to be found and she couldn't even distinguish the features of the corpses all around her. Suddenly, the room began to spin rapidly and the only thing that kept her from becoming dizzy was the clarity with which she could see the corpses littered on the floor; for some reasons, these reploids began to look increasingly familiar.

Zero took three steps forward to better distinguish their features when it finally hit her… Those were all Maverick Hunters, all of whom she personally knew; Magma Dragoon, Web Spider, Signas, all of them fatally wounded by an unknown hand. She began to feel a strange sensation coming from her hands and discovered that they were now drenched in blood. She shouted. _**What the hell do you want with me?!!**_

A maniac laughter began to fill the room, which seemed strangely familiar; everything around her vanished as the room began to move even more rapidly, she could now clearly see one of the corpses stand from the darkness and step forward. A loud voice began to speak. _You…_

Zero readied her saber while the unknown reploid continued to approach. _Will…_

A weaker voice rose above the others, one whom she could hear with an unsettling clarity. It spoke, almost begging to be heard. **Zero…**

The shadows that obscured his features dispersed and revealed a reploid damaged beyond any hope of salvation. Zero was horrified to she realized that this reploid was none other than X, the blue reploid attempted to reach her for help, but seemed unable to do so. _Obey!!!_

As the voice fell silent, the red hunter fell on her knees, the pain was back, stronger than ever before; she cling to her head, almost hoping that she could tear it off to make it stop, a red liquid began to fill her eyes and then… everything vanished.

With a lingering sense of pain, the female reploid woke up and attempted to get a hold of herself. She was sick of those nightmares and wished that someone would help her, anyone would do, but how could they possibly understand? It seemed so real and the faint echo of the pain was proof enough that this wasn't just an ordinary dream.

Suddenly, an alarm went off and the whole headquarter came alive all of a sudden. Then, a prerecorded message was broadcasted all over the base. _**Emergency! Emergency! All Maverick Hunters report to their posts! Emergency!…**_

The female hunter rushed to the briefing room, in the hope that her spotter would be able to provide further insight on what was going on.

---

Briefing room…

After reaching the briefing room, Zero realized that Iris was nowhere to be found. Fortunately, she managed to get a hold of Signas who seemed to be quite in a hurry. She said. _**Hey! Will someone finally tell me what's going on?**_

Signas replied. **I have no time for this; I have an emergency on my hands and have no time to waste on idle chatter. Report to your spotter at once, she will tell you what to do.**

_**She's not here and I have no idea where she is.**_

**Fine. Go with X and Double, they will give further instructions.** Signas quickly left to carry out his own orders while Zero went to meet up with X.

The blue hunter beckoned to her from afar and once she had joined them, he asked. **Zero, weren't you supposed to be reporting to Iris?**

_**I was, but I can't seem to find her so Signas told me to meet up with you guys.**_

**Really? That's not like her to disappear like that.**

_**Yeah. Anyway, what's going on? Is someone dead or something?**_

Obviously annoyed at her sudden interruption, Double said. And that's exactly where I come in, ma'am.

_**Yeah, don't mind me and resume what you were doing.**_

To be short, there has been a disturbance caused by Mavericks at point 5567…

X didn't seem to have any more clue than Zero had about what was that place. **Point 5567? Can't you be a little more specific?**

It's some place called Sky Lagoon, never heard of it myself, but I was told that this was an experimental floating city that was built a while ago.

The red hunter hesitantly replied. _**Sky Lagoon… This is bad…**_

**You know that place?**

_**Yeah. What happened?**_

We have no idea, we just received words that Repliforce was on the move and they… they… intercepted a transmission coming from there. Apparently, the Mavericks got the whole place occupied and to make the matter worse, we think that they're going to crash the city…

Both hunters responded in unison as they became aware of the seriousness of the situation. **_No way!!!_**

Don't you worry sir! I've got everything planned; I'm going to transfer you right away!

_**We can't just head out without a plan, have they sent someone to evacuate the peoples beneath the city?**_

The fat reploid scratched his head and answered. Well… There really isn't any need to evacuate them… After all, X will be there… 

The blue hunter was completely horrified at Double's complete lack of considerations for all the reploids that were stuck below the floating city. **How can you say that?! We've got to do something about them.**

Of course sir, I'm sorry.

_**I got an idea, I already know a little of Sky Lagoon, so I'm gonna go inside the city and try to stop it from crashing. Meanwhile, X, can you make sure to evacuate everyone below?**_

**Sure thing.**

The fat reploid was a little angry that she had stolen his spotlight, but he tried not to make too much of a fuss about it. Very well, we're gonna transfer both of you right away!

**Oh! Zero, please be careful for once. We have absolutely no idea of their numbers or who the hell they are…**

_**Bah, I'll be fine…**_

---

Within a glass tube between two buildings of Sky Lagoon…

After being transferred by Double, Zero arrived at the scene of the disturbance; it was dark outside and large spotlights were almost the only thing that illuminated the city, while simultaneously revealing hordes of mechaniloids tearing it apart.

The female hunter cleared her surroundings of the little pests and saw something huge fly toward her, the large green mechaniloid dived below the glass tube and flew up to her location. The dragon-like mechaniloid was about four time her height and his metallic wings almost seemed to have trouble lifting his massive build; her eyes were drawn to his razor-sharp claws that would probably have no trouble severing a regular reploid in half, which only contributed to his already intimidating appearance.

The huge winged mechaniloid roared so loud that the sound even went through the glass that separated them, the red hunter said. _**I don't know why, but the first time I saw you; I knew that you would try to kill me someday…**_

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An update that was long overdue I think… Anyway, I'm not her to give lame excuses, so let's move on to something more interesting.

As some of you might have already noticed, I added a news section within my profile where I will be able to keep you informed about the status of each of my projects; it might not be a hundred per-cent accurate, but it should give you an idea about when I'll add a new chapter or if I've decided to take some small vacations.

Regarding this chapter, you've probably felt that the whole Colonel and Zero thing was wrapped up pretty quickly, which was intentional. I could have developed their relationship a little more before this point, but I would be forgetting that Colonel first appeared within Megaman X4 and that Zero didn't know him and Iris for so long; it's a fact that even within the original, the relationship between Zero and Iris wasn't so developed at the beginning, they do mention that both reploids had a certain fondness for each others, but nothing too serious at that time.

In this chapter, we also reach the climax of those strange dreams that Zero was having since chapter 17 which I might have introduced a little too early. But regardless, it will probably become far more meaningful as we progress within the plot.

Preview: Zero finds herself pursued by the huge mechaniloid called Eregion and is left with little choice but to run for her life, as the rampaging reploid destroys everything in his path. Sky Lagoon is about to fall and the female hunter has no choice but to reach the control room before the whole city crash on the ground, killing everyone within and under the Lagoon. Will the Maverick Hunters succeed to stop the fall of Sky Lagoon? What is Repliforce involvement in this disturbance and where is Iris anyway? Next Chapter: Prelude of a Tragedy.


	25. Prelude of a Tragedy

Chapter 25

Prelude of a Tragedy

Zero did realize how pointless it was to taunt a mindless killing machine, but there was little else she could do while Eregion continued to observed her, his large wings painfully lifting his large build while female reploid felt his silent stare upon her. One of the large spotlights that were scouring the city slowly illuminated the green mechaniloid, making it easier for the female hunter to decipher his movement; with his sensors now locked onto her, Eregion lifted one of his massive claws and slashed through the glass that was separating them as if it didn't even exist in the first place.

Sensing her impending doom, the red hunter jumped out of the way, only narrowly regaining her composure as the dragon-like reploid roared once more. After reassessing her situation, Zero ran as far as she could from the large mechaniloid while attempting to contact Double, so that he may guide her to the core of Sky Lagoon.

Meanwhile, Eregion had landed within the tube and was now rushing toward the female hunter that was desperately trying to escape, shattering the glass and destroying everything in his path. Unfortunately, no matter how fast Zero tried to run, the large mechaniloid kept getting closer with every passing seconds. The communication with Double was finally established and the female reploid yelled. _**No time to explain… Huge mechaniloid… After me! Get me to the core ASAP!!!**_

Double replied in an annoyed tone. Can't you just solve this on your own? Just do what you do best, trash it and call me back when you're done…

The red reploid dashed forward to make sure that the beast wouldn't catch up and managed to answer._** No way! This whole place is about to crash on the ground. And if that thing knocks me off here… at this height…there's no way I'll make it out alive…**_

The fat reploid sighed and went on. Fine, listen up, there's going to be at least five switches ahead of you, flip them up and this will lock down that part of the tube behind you… Yeah, this should do the trick.

Zero was distracted by Eregion's footsteps that had become louder as he approached. _**Right!**_

As soon as she reached the first switch, the female reploid flipped it on and saw a thick metallic door close about six foot behind her. She took a few seconds to rest and heard a loud ruckus coming from behind the door. _**Hmph… That dumb thing must've tried to break though it, can't say I feel sorry for it.**_

It was then that she began to hear a strange sound from beyond the large doors that only seemed to intensify; ironically, Eregion broke through the door as if it was a mere annoyance, which quickly convinced her to run like hell. _**It didn't work! That thing just bashed its way right through it!**_

Don't blame me!!! At least it slowed it down. Flip the other switches and keep going forward, the control room should be just a little further ahead.

_**Got it!**_ The female reploid went on with Double's plan and proceeded to slow down the large mechaniloid; it wouldn't be enough to hold him back, but at least it would buy her enough time to reach the control room before the whole city crashed.

On her way there, Zero met little resistance and as she rushed toward her destination; then, as she arrived, she heard the sound of numerous explosions coming from there. The female hunter was shocked to find that Magma Dragoon had already managed to fight his way there. _**Magma Dragoon?!**_

The dragon-like reploid faced her, with a grim look on his face and replied. **We've failed, Zero! The Mavericks have already taken the power out.**

_**What! Then Sky Lagoon will…**_

**Crash and destroy everything below it…**

The red hunter saw the seriousness of the situation with her own eyes while the chain-reaction caused all the equipments around them to overload. Zero said. _**There must still be something we can do!**_

**It's too late! I'm leaving. And you would do well to do the same, Zero…**

The tall reploid left, leaving the female reploid alone as the station began to lose balance. Suddenly, Zero heard the sound of heavy footsteps coming from behind her; footsteps, with which she was already familiar, Eregion had finally caught up with her. The massive mechaniloid stepped inside the control room while the red hunter desperately tried to reach Double, who promptly answered. What is it now?!

_**Sky Lagoon… is already lost. So, hurry up and get me out of here! **_

The fat reploid paused and said. … … … Fine, 3… 2… 1… Transfer!!!

And so, the female reploid felt her surroundings fade as she was transferred back to the Maverick Hunters Headquarter…

---

Minutes later, within the wreckages of Sky Lagoon…

The fall of Sky Lagoon would probably forever be remembered as one of the greatest tragedy caused by Mavericks. Many years later, many would still remember with a stunning accuracy how the gigantic city crashed onto the ground, indiscriminately killing thousands of humans and reploids in the process; but those memories paled in comparison of those who had actually witnessed the wreckages of the city with their own eyes…

As soon as the dust cleared from the crash site, the Maverick Hunters were immediately deployed to look for survivors within the wreckages of Sky Lagoon. Zero had volunteered to help with the researches and was soon transferred there.

However, the female hunter wasn't prepared for what awaited her, it was a slaughter… There were many dead reploids scattered under the debris and the ground itself threatened to engulf anyone foolish enough to step on it. The red hunter said. _**This is… All of those peoples… … Someone will pay for this. I swear it.**_

Only the broken remnants of the highways were safe enough to thread, and even then, many of them seemed ready to collapse as soon as someone stepped on them. The remains of Mavericks were rare and survivors even rarer; in fact, no matter how hard she looked, the red hunter was unable to find any…

That is, until she reached an isolated corner of the wreckages. Zero had been searching for a while and eventually reached a partially intact bridge that stood below a large hill of debris; she decided to investigate and saw a small reploid that was barely standing on her knees, the female reploid went to investigate and realized that this reploid had fallen on the ground while she was trying to reach the bridge.

When she approached, it finally hit her, those long brown hairs and this large skirt… _**Iris!**_

Zero rushed to her side and yelled. _**Iris?! Are you ok? What the hell were you doing here?!!**_

Iris painfully tried to stand, but only managed to raise her head to look at the red hunter. Her eyes were dark and it seemed like she had been severely injured during the crash. She painfully spoke. _Zero…?_ When her vision cleared, her eyes brightened as saw the female hunter. _Did… Did you come to save me?…_

_**Yes, just don't overstrain yourself. What happened?**_

_A huge…_The female spotter was interrupted by a loud roar coming from afar.

Zero couldn't help but to curse her luck when she realized that Iris wasn't the only one to have survived the crash. _**Alright, I get it. Just stay here and try to hold on a little longer. I'll take care of that thing and I'll get help.**_

_I will…_

From there, finding Eregion was merely a formality since the huge mechaniloid swooped down on her as soon as she came within sight. The beast landed a little further away from her and began to approach her. Zero didn't exactly look forward to face this monster, but she couldn't back down now; Iris wouldn't stand a chance against this thing and she had no idea how she could face Colonel if something happened to his sister. The female hunter gritted her teeth and charged toward the large mechaniloid who greeted her with a large claw swipe; Zero immediately stopped in her track and leaped back to avoid the incoming blow.

The female reploid soon realized that a direct assault wouldn't be the best course of action against this dragon-like mechaniloid; it sounded like the huge mechaniloid's sensors had already locked onto her and if she made even a single mistake, she probably wouldn't live to regret it. So, instead, she decided to study him in order to find any weakness that she could exploits.

It soon became obvious that is reaction time was quite slow, even by mechaniloids standards, so she waited for him to wave his claws at her and used this opportunity to strike; unfortunately, his reach was far greater than her own and she was forced to come up with another plan.

Things weren't going well for the female hunter, who was constantly forced to fall back in order to avoid the huge mechaniloid's repeated claw swipes; Zero was beginning to lose hope when she realized that every time she ducked one of his claws, the beast always waved its arms horizontally at the same height as she was, never higher. But strangely enough, it seemed like this mechaniloid wouldn't take his eyes off her, as if his only sensors were located in his eyes.

Seeing that she could use this to her advantage, the red hunter ducked the Eregion's first assault and leaped on his arm as he waved his claws again; then, she leaped above him and managed to get a hold of one of his wings. Eregion immediately took flight in order to shake her off but found himself unable to prevent her from reaching his back. Then, Zero began thrust her saber within the mechaniloid's armor while she clung to his back as if her life depended on it.

The green mechaniloid did all he could to get her off his back, but the red hunter stubbornly continued to slash him with her saber, to the point that his wings began to malfunction. Since Eregion was already quite massive, both the huge mechaniloid and Zero began to fall at high speed toward the ground as the first desperately tried to bite the female hunter.

When they were about to reach the ground, Zero jumped off the large mechaniloid's back and rolled further away from the beast. Eregion had been heavily damaged in the crash, which allowed the female reploid enough time to stand up and charge toward him; the mechaniloid stood up and tried to raise his claw but wasn't fast enough to avoid the three consecutive slices that Zero delivered to him. The beast fell down and stopped moving. The female reploid was panting when she said. _**Hates mechaniloids… Never again… Hates them…**_

The female hunter felt horrible after what happened, but at least Iris was safe now and so was she; or so she thought, before she saw a group of unknown reploids heading toward her. Zero was relieved to find out that those reploids were wearing the insignias of Repliforce; a tall reploid made his way to the front of the group and spoke. **Ah, Zero… Long time no see, I'm glad to see that you're unharmed.**

_**Colonel!!! What are you doing here?**_

**I came as soon as I heard what happened, Iris told me earlier that she was going to Sky Lagoon and I was worried that something might have happened to her.**

Zero almost couldn't believe her luck, if those had been mavericks, she would have been toasted after this fight with Eregion. **_Well, no need for that now. I already rescued her, she just a little further this way._**

It seemed like a great burden had been taken off Colonel shoulder, his voice held a hint of gratitude as he replied. **Oh… It seems like I owe you again. I'll make it up to you when I'm done here.**

For some reasons, the female hunter remembered something that Double had told her back at the HQ. **_… Colonel. Would you mind if I asked you something?_**

**Depends on what it is.**

The female reploid asked. **_How come that Repliforce knew about Sky Lagoon? I heard that you were already on the move when we learned about it and we've also intercepted one of your transmissions coming from there. But strangely enough, I haven't seen anyone from Repliforce besides you guys and Iris._**

**This is preposterous! We've just learned about this and I haven't heard anything about any of our forces being sent there.**

Zero thought that this sounded extremely fishy, he of all persons should know; could he possibly be hiding something from her? **_Alright then, I'm gonna have to ask you all to drop your weapons and follow me back to the Maverick Hunters HQ; hopefully we'll be able to shed some light on all this mess._**

The tall reploid couldn't believe what he had just heard. **Are you suggesting that we might have something to do with this? Are you implying that we have anything to do with those… Mavericks!!!**

**_I doubt it, but the peoples buried here would never forgive me if I didn't try to find out who the hell is behind this butchery._**

**Do you have any idea of what you are asking?! A soldier of Repliforce never drops his weapon, never!**

The red hunter was wondering why he was making such a fuss about this, it wasn't like she was arresting them or anything; she was just following the usual procedure, that's all. **_I'm still gonna have to ask you to disarm and follow me._**

Colonel was fulminating and harshly replied. **I refuse. If the hunters truly believe that we have turned Maverick; then we have nothing more to discuss.**

Zero knew that Colonel could be quite stubborn when he wanted to, but this was no joking matter. **_Don't do this, Colonel…_**

**I won't do it! Not even for you, Zero. The Repliforce prefers war over dishonor.**

The female hunter simply couldn't believe it, after all they went through he wouldn't even consider listening to her; he seemed to have no idea into what a huge mess this kind of thing could turn in. **_Wait! Colonel!_**

It was too late, they were already gone. Zero was so furious that she shouted. **_You dummy! This is bad… Real bad!_**

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Yet another chapter ends and so we take our first steps within the original plot of Megaman X4. I have to admit that I took a lot of freedom within this chapter, mostly about the sudden disappearance of all the Mavericks within the wreckages of Sky Lagoon and having Eregion pursue Zero directly within the first part of the Intro stage; but I do believe that it suits the story better that way.

Preview: With the sudden refusal of Repliforce to surrender for interrogation regarding the events of Sky Lagoon, a wave of distrust began to flood the city as many began to openly claim that the soldiers of Repliforce had turned Maverick. In the aftermath of this tragedy; General, the leader of Repliforce, has announced that Repliforce will deliver an official statement to officially state their position regarding these events. Will Repliforce be officially branded as Mavericks? Will General stop this madness before any more lives are claimed? Next Chapter: Betrayal.


	26. Betrayal

Chapter 26

Betrayal

Barely containing her anger at Colonel's behavior, Zero did all that she could to forget what happened and hurried back to Iris's side so that she could bring her back to the Maverick Hunters HQ; unfortunately, it seemed like Repliforce had already beaten her to it since her spotter was nowhere to be found. The female reploid remained within the wreckages for a few moments, still trying to figure out what she should do about Repliforce's refusal to surrender for interrogation; she probably wouldn't be able to hide the fact that her battle with Eregion had taken its toil upon her and Iris sudden disappearance would probably be even harder to explain.

It made no doubts in her mind that neither Colonel nor the Repliforce had anything to do with the fall of Sky Lagoon, but the hunters probably wouldn't see things her way once they'll learn that Repliforce refused to surrender; furthermore, if someone found out that she had been keeping this information to herself, she would risk to be thrown out of the hunters or even worse, being labeled as a maverick…

---

Briefing Room, Maverick Hunters Headquarter…

It soon became obvious that Zero had little choice in the matter; either she told the hunters what happened or somebody else would, she was better off telling them and hopes that the hunters and the Repliforce would be able to settle this peacefully. It was only two days later that she had her answer, it was noon back then and the female hunter was feeling particularly edgy from the fact that she hadn't received any news from Colonel and Iris ever since they last parted way; the mere fact that the first one hadn't even sought to contact her or at least apologize for the way he treated her, only made things worse as many began to demand retribution for the fall of Sky Lagoon.

It was then that a message came in that said that General, the leader of Repliforce, would deliver an official statement in two hours regarding the events that had transpired; from this point, all hunters within the headquarter were assembled within the briefing room and anxiously waited for the broadcast to begin.

Precisely two hours later, the screen of the briefing room displayed what was probably the tallest reploid the hunters had ever seen; this unique model was a two-story tall reploid of the command-type who towered above the masses of Repliforce soldiers that were surrounding him. A few hunters around the female hunter commented. _**Couldn't they have made him a little bigger?!**_

Zero thought that they weren't exactly wrong, it was far simpler to create a mindless mechaniloid of this size rather than build a giant-sized sentient reploid; she assumed that this General was probably built as a symbol to represent the Repliforce's strength, which wasn't exactly reassuring considering the current situation.

The gigantic reploid finally began in a loud imposing voice. **Attention! Humans and Reploids of the world. I am General, supreme commander of the Repliforce and sole leader of this glorious army…** The towering reploid was suddenly interrupted by hundreds of cheers coming from within the hall of memories, where he had chosen to make his speech; General raised both of his hands, asked for silence and went on. **As you all well know, Sky Lagoon has fallen and I would like to express my gratitude to all of those that participated in the rescue operation that followed this tragedy and did everything in their power to save all the survivors that could be found within the wreckages of the city. The Repliforce as whole would also like to express their apologies to all of those that have fallen that day and swear that all shall be avenged in due time…**

For all the maverick hunters present, the cheers coming from the hall of memories only seemed to pale in comparison of all the disgusted hunters that were already blaming Repliforce for everything that happened. The General once again asked for order. **However, it has been brought to my attention that a great wrong has been committed against some of our forces. Brave soldiers of Repliforce, some of your comrades… No! The Repliforce itself has been falsely accused of consorting with the mavericks and even worse, it has been implied that we were the ones responsible for the fall of Sky Lagoon!**

This time around, the cries of indignities could be heard from within the ranks of Repliforce as the mustached reploid raised his booming voice above the ruckus. **We will not suffer this indignity! How many of our comrades have fallen to prevent this world from falling in chaos?! How many times have we kept the mavericks at bay while they threatened to break the very fabrics of our existences?! We will not stand idly while the maverick hunters continues to spreads such poisonous lies about our organization!…** The female reploid couldn't believe that Repliforce could be so thickheaded, it wasn't just about indignities and lies, it was all about avoiding a pointless conflict.

From General's side, another reploid stepped forward; this was finally the moment that Zero had feared all along. Colonel spoke. **I too, share the General's sentiment…**

The female hunter whispered to herself. _**No… Not now… Don' t do this, Colonel.**_

The proud officer of Repliforce continued. **If the maverick hunters have branded us as mavericks, then we have no other choice, we shall fight back with courage and pride; for that we are the Repliforce. Death before dishonor!!!**

Within the hall of memories, all responded in unison. _**Death before dishonor!!!**_

**Therefore, we shall create a new nation, a new utopia; where all reploids will be free from the oppressive grasp of the maverick hunters and their human masters!… But remember, this is not about insurrection; this is neither about rebellion against the humans. This is about history, our history!**

Then, once the applauses had ended, the towering reploid went on. **And if the maverick hunters try to stand in our way, then we will have no choice but to eliminate them. We won't let anyone stand between us and our sanctuary for all reploids. We are the Repliforce! The greatest army in the world!!!**

Back within the briefing room, buried under the cheers of the soldiers of Repliforce, dozens of outraged hunters lifted their voices and all boasted a similar discourse. **_So, this is how those backstabbing monsters start a war? With a torrent of acclamations?!!!_**

Zero was too shocked to even hear them; all that she could hear was her own voice screaming from within. How could he? How could Colonel and this General start a war against the maverick hunters? Did he give so little value to their relationship that he was ready to sacrifice everything over an idiotic matter of wounded pride? Maybe they hadn't been together for this long, but still…

Unfortunately, it seemed like the female reploid would have little time to worry about what happened. The hunters returned to their posts to await further instructions regarding Repliforce stance in the matter, but many spotters quickly found out that they had received many incoming transmissions during the broadcast. It all started with a single hunter shouting. _What?! The North Pole is under attack?!!_

What started with a single emergency transformed into dozens and so on, most of the military facilities left under the control of the maverick hunters had fallen under the assault of a mysterious group of attackers. Emergency calls from panicked hunters stationed all around the world were intercepted, some under attack by unknown groups of mavericks, others under attack by the Repliforce itself. The female hunter had rarely seen such a mess; she could clearly hear Signas fulminating as he attempted to get a hold of the situation. **Those cowards! This whole broadcast was just a decoy!**

Every minutes, the hunters lost more grounds as they tried to reassess their situation. Suddenly, Zero's own communication system informed her that someone was trying to reach her. The female hunter answered. **_Zero here._**

A voice that she recognized to be the one of Web Spider spoke through a lot of static. **Dammit girl!… … Respond…**

**_Web Spider, what's wrong?!_**

**… … 14th Unit… turned on us… Dragoon… need reinforcements… AaAAAAaaaHHHHH!!!**

The communication ended abruptly while the female reploid was still trying to figure out what the hell was going on; she called him back. **_Web Spider!!! Respond!_**

But it was all in vain, his communicator was no longer working; which pretty much meant… that he was already dead. And if Web Spider was gone, this meant that her whole unit was…

Amidst the chaos around her, Zero heard a familiar voice calling for her. _Zero!_

Iris ran through the crowd that was separating them and said. _Zero! My brother… He has started a coup!_

With the loss of her unit still fresh in her memory, Zero sadly replied. **_I know… Look around you. It has already started…_**

---

Fifteen minutes later…

Things were even worse than they looked in the first place, Repliforce had already occupied several cities while many groups of mavericks had used this opportunity as an excuse to create havoc; but even so, the morale of the hunters had been severely diminished by the large number of turncoats that had betrayed their comrades and defected to Repliforce. Considering the seriousness of the situation, it didn't take long for the high command to take direct control of the operations and then takes steps to straighten the situation.

But, between Colonel's betrayal and the loss of her own unit, those facts were probably the last of Zero's worries. As if the thought of having to fight Repliforce wasn't enough, the female reploid simply couldn't understand how someone like Magma Dragoon could ever betray the hunters like this; it just made no sense…

Fortunately, Iris's sudden return helped strengthen her resolve as they both began to track the movements of the 14th Unit all the way to a secret volcanic base that had been previously cleaned by the Repliforce, prior to the coup. To be perfectly honest, the female hunter was glad that Iris had made it back safely to the hunters after her disappearance; maybe it wasn't much of a victory, but once they were done dealing with all those renegade hunters and all the mavericks that were causing havoc, her spotter might be able to help her reason with Colonel before it is too late.

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And so the war begins…But more importantly, I have to admit that I was quite surprised when I consulted my profile and realized that my computer was living one month in the future and my watch one day in the past…

Anyway, enough about my life and let's move on to something more interesting. I have to say that I was a little surprised with how they compacted General's speech within the cutscene of MMX4; it just makes no sense… I mean, what was that all about? All that I saw was Colonel and General making a whole fuss about what happened in the intro stage and suddenly decides to announce their coup for independence while still claiming that they aren't rebelling against the humans… Yeah, I'm supposed to believe that while a minutes later I learn that half of the eight bosses are from Repliforce and are causing as much trouble as the mavericks (Jet Stingray and Frost Walrus comes to mind)… I'll just say it once; General and Colonel would never have been able to convince me to go to war with that kind of uninspired speech.

But, let's give them credit for what they did, Megaman X4 is actually a huge improvement compared to the extremely linear plots of the three previous game while still managing to maintain the quality of the gameplay.

Preview: Zero has finally managed to track down the 14th Unit to its secret volcanic base and is finally ready to take vengeance for the slaughter of her own unit. But something is wrong, as the female hunter finally reach the heart of the volcano; she finally realizes that she has fallen into a trap. Will Zero succeed to stop the 14th Unit from causing any more trouble than they already have? What does Magma Dragoon have in store for our hunter? Next Chapter: Volcanic Brawl.


	27. Volcanic Brawl

Chapter 27

Volcanic Brawl

Considering how chaotic the situation had been since Repliforce sudden coup, tracking the melee unit had proved to be deceptively easy; it almost seemed as if they weren't even trying to hide and were simply waiting for the hunters to come after them. With the loss of her unit and Magma Dragoon's betrayal still fresh in her memory, Zero was assigned, along with her spotter, to track down, capture and bring the rogue unit back at the Maverick Hunters Headquarter.

The female hunter failed to understand what could have pushed the melee unit to defect to Repliforce, she had fought alongside the 14th Unit during the Doppler Town insurrection and failed to understand how someone like Magma Dragoon could have turned his back on the hunters.

The renegade hunters had taken up residence within a, presumably, sleeping volcano; this base previously served as an hideout for a small group of Maverick that were decimated by Repliforce prior to the coup and was believed to be abandoned, until now.

Once inside, the female reploid quickly realized that this volcano wasn't as calm as it appeared on the outside; Zero could regularly see geysers spitting lava from the ground while she progressed further within the outer perimeter of the volcano.

Aside from a few, easily dispatched, mechaniloids, the female reploid met little resistance aside from harshness of the environment around her. Either they weren't expecting anyone to come after them or they were extremely confident in their abilities to deal with potential intruders.

Before long, Iris started to receive strange readings near Zero and immediately warned her. _Zero! I'm getting some strange readings ahead; I think it's the melee unit…_

The red hunter answered. _**Got it**__**; I'll be extra careful from now on.**_

However, caution proved to be pointless at this point she quickly engaged the members of the melee unit who simply refused to listen to reason. The oddest thing about the melee unit was that all of their members seemed to have a complete disdain for ranged weapons and focused exclusively on the use of melee weapons and the use of their natural abilities. It was quite unsettling for Zero who had seldom faced, aside from Colonel, a reploid skilled in the use of a close-combat weapon.

These renegade hunters weren't exactly behaving like mavericks; normally, most mavericks would simply rush after you in a suicidal rage until they were either incapacitated or destroyed. But those ones, acted a little more like a pack of wolves, each of them altering their attacks from different angles so that they may eventually catch their prey off-guard.

Obviously, the path toward the heart of the volcano proved to be especially tiresome for the red hunter, who wasn't used to fight in the kind of environment; she supposed that it wouldn't have been that bad if she only had to worry about the geysers that were constantly spitting flames all over the place, but the minions of the 14th unit proved to be especially keen in using their surroundings to their advantage.

Back then, she hadn't realized that all the obstacles, that she had encountered so far, were simply a mean to test her endurance; someone or… something, seemed to have meticulously ensured that she would remain constantly assaulted on her way toward the core of the volcano, but also made sure that she wouldn't be overwhelmed…

And so, Zero finally reached a large cavern within the bowels of the mountain. The temperature within this place was continuously rising as she reached a small metallic bridge, that led to a flat chunk of rock that was floating on a river of molten lava. Zero peered through the smoke coming from the river and saw a large opening far above her, through which a few sunrays could be seen. _**Iris? Can you see anything? I think I reached the base of the volcano.**_

Amidst a hefty amount of parasites, the female reploid could hear. _Don… signal… run…!!!_

_**Iris? What's up? Do you read me?!**_

Unfortunately, it was useless; Zero theorized that all the heat and smoke around her might have messed up her communicator. So, basically, it was just her and the remnants of the 14th unit.

Obviously, the female hunter would soon learn that she couldn't have been more wrong; for that, as soon as she attempted to reach the bridge that was connected to the other side of the rock, the bridges began to crumble as a huge tremor was felt through the huge chunk of rock. The female reploid tried to run back toward the bridge through which she had arrived, but failed to arrive before its foundations shattered.

Knowing that this sudden tremor might cause the volcano to erupt, Zero rushed toward the last standing bridge, only to be stopped in her path as something leaped from the lava and landed about twenty foot ahead of her.

Even though this reploid was completely covered in molten lava, he didn't seem to mind at all; in fact, his armor made short work of the burning substance as if it was a mere annoyance. By then, the identity of this unknown reploid became clear in Zero's mind. _**Magma Dragoon!**_

**Ah, Zero… Finally, I was beginning to wonder if you would come at all. **

**_Well, I suppose you have one-up one me… Anyway, it doesn't matter; you're now officially under arrest for treason._**

**Treason, huh?** Magma Dragoon could barely hold his laughter when he said.**Interesting way to put it.**

**_Look, you're coming with me whether you like it or not. So make this easy on yourself and surrender peacefully before I accidentally forget that I'm supposed to bring you back alive._**

**You speak of treason; yet, I don't remember doing anything to betray the maverick hunters.**

The female reploid tried to keep her anger in check and said. _**Yeah, right. And I suppose that killing Web Spider and slaughtering my whole unit was just an accident. How could you do this to me? I… I trusted you.**_

The former hunter paused, carefully thinking about what he should answer.**…**

**_Answer me!_**

**You… You don't know half of it, Zero! I haven't betrayed the maverick hunters, I haven't betrayed you either; it's the hunters who betrayed me!**

The female reploid's patience was coming to an end when she asked. **_What the hell are you talking about?!_**

**You want the truth? All of it?! Repliforce wasn't responsible for the fall of Sky Lagoon, I was! I'm the one who took the power off and sent the whole city plummeting on the ground!**

The red hunter could barely pull herself together after hearing Magma Dragoon shocking confession. **_You… You what…?_**

**I let Sky Lagoon fall. And guess what; I would do it again! HaHaHa!!!**

Zero couldn't hold back anymore. **_This doesn't make any sense! Why did you do that? And what does the death of my unit have to do with any of this?!!_**

Magma Dragoon smirked as he explained. **The death of your unit was nothing but an unfortunate accident. If they hadn't stubbornly tried to fight back, they might still be alive; but they stood in the way, so I had no other choice but to eliminate them.**

**_What the hell were you trying to accomplish?! What does the death of thousands of peoples have to do with the hunters?!!_**

**Their sacrifices were necessary… They served their purpose… After all, you've come this far…**

The red hunter replied. **_What?!!!_**

**You cannot understand… Even though the members of both of our units lie dead, we would have lost them eventually. I heard them, Zero, the hunters were going the disband all the remaining units and create a more loose coalition; something within which every individuals would have the opportunity to prove themselves individually and where only one person would be in charge of all the operations. I, for one, will not allow it!**

**_I never heard anything like that! And even if it's true, it doesn't sound like such a bad idea._**

The eyes of the dragon-like reploid were now intensely burning with renewed anger. **You cannot understand. For years, just like you, I fought my way to the top of the chain of command; proving myself time after time on the battlefield, showing the way to every new recruits that were assigned under my command. We, the melee unit, pride ourselves in the fact that we are the best of the best when it comes to close combat, we all stood united against the tide that threatened to swallow us all and lived to speak about it. Disbanding the units is a mistake, the strength of the maverick hunters doesn't lie just in the single hunter triumphing over impossible odds, it lies in our ability to work together and in all individual reploids forming our ranks.**

**_I never gave a damn about my rank; maybe you're right in saying that the units makes us stronger by forcing us to work together; but its not worth betraying all that the hunters stands for just because you don't want to lose your unit._**

**You don't understand anything, do you? We, the 14th unit, swore that we would become the strongest reploids in the world; but they shattered our dream by trying to tear us apart and forcing us all to fend for ourselves while some of us would be mercilessly slaughtered by hordes of ravenous mavericks! I will not allow this to happen, I won't!**

Why did Zero had to go through this? Why did all those she trusted had to turn on her like this? **_You're not making any sense, this all sounds like maverick talk to me!_**

**I saved the melee unit; I saved them from the disgrace that would inevitably fall upon them. I am the only one that remains now, and I swear on the lives of all of my men that we shall not be forgotten! And now, the only other unit remaining is… The Zero Unit, the only other unit to have survived three mavericks revolts!**

This was madness, no matter how hard Zero tried to deny it, the evidences were there; Magma Dragoon had turned Maverick. **_You killed them all! And for what?! Just so that you could satisfy your ego!!!_**

**And their leader, the legendary Zero, whose skills with a beam saber is unparalleled amongst the maverick hunters! The one who was kissed by death and lived to tell the tale; the one who survived the explosion caused by my trap and stopped Theta's theft of her schematics! There can be no worthier foe; today, the melee unit shall prevail and will live in the legends as the one who ended the legend of Zero. Despair!!! For that this is our final battle!** As he spoke those last words, flames began to appear within the palms of the insane reploid. **HA-DO-KEN!!!**

The dragon-like reploid immediately sent a fireball flying in the red hunters direction, who jumped on her left side and charged toward the maverick, who did the same.

Once they arrived in melee range, Zero immediately tried to stab him with her saber, but as she was about to land a blow, the dragon-like reploid tripped her. From the ground, the female hunter rolled in an attempt to avoid Magma Dragoon's fist that was creating large dents on the ground as he tried to crush her beneath his fist. The red hunter eventually made it back on her feet after the renegade hunter tried to catch her with another one of his fireballs. **Coward! Stop running around and face me!** The insane maverick began to absorb the heat around him, while the female hunter tried to reassess her situation, and fully opened his maw and fired an enormous fireball toward Zero.

Luckily, the red hunter evaded it and the large fireball crashed on a wall further away from the huge chuck of rock, causing a tremendous explosion. Then, the dragon-like reploid leaped high above and descended toward the confused hunter as roaring flames appeared around his right leg. **You won't escape me!**

Aware of the incoming danger, the red hunter ran as quickly as she could ahead of her to get below him and managed to make it back to safety. Believing that she wasn't even trying to fight back, Magma Dragoon formed yet another fireball within his right hand and shouted. **If you won't fight me willingly, then I'll have to no choice but to force your hand.** The dragon-like reploid hurled the fireball far above them and caused great chucks of rock to fall from the conduit of the volcano.

Zero braced for impact as the large chunks of charred rocks fell on their improvised arena and within the lava. Unfortunately, this action caused the river to be quite agitated as the female hunter realized that the maverick was trying to wake up the volcano…

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And so, I leave you on a cliffhanger since I realized that this part of the story is way too long to fit in a single chapter; so I figured that I was better off to cut it right there while I still could. I think that this chapter do fulfill its goal in giving more depths to Magma Dragoon's personality and opens a window on his motivations instead of leaving a somewhat shallow explanation since they couldn't fit so much text within the game.

Another point that I find truly interesting is that this chapter abuses a somewhat obscure link to Megaman X5; which also gives us an insight of the mindset of the non-viral mavericks in depicting the fact that not all reploids agrees on everything and that they do possess some free-will unlike the generations of robot from the original Megaman.

Of course, some of you might have noticed that I have tried to give some more background to the obscure melee unit whose presence in the game was limited to a small paragraph within the instruction booklet (if memory serves), which was somewhat disappointing since we often only get information that this boss is part of this unit and that's it…

PS: I really hate Office 2007, it completely messed up this file.

Preview: Upon realizing the true intent of Magma Dragoon, Zero become locked in a fight to the death with the renegade hunter, as the latter attempts to force her hand by trying to cause the volcano, in which they are fighting, to erupt. Will Zero succeed to overcome Magma Dragoon? Will the renegade hunter have his way and end her legend once and for all? Next Chapter: Volcanic Brawl (Part 2).


	28. Volcanic Brawl Part 2

Chapter 28

Volcanic Brawl (Part 2)

With their arena now completely surrounded by boiling lava, Zero couldn't help but to notice that a large chunk of the platform had been swallowed in magma. The female reploid had never thought that, even as a maverick, Magma Dragoon could be so reckless as to try to bring down the whole mountain upon them. She yelled. _**You idiot! If you keep going like this, you're not only going to kill me, but you're going to get both of us killed!!!**_

Magma Dragoon was slightly amused; not only wasn't she realizing that he had no intention of living past their confrontation, but she wasn't even taking him seriously even after such an obvious display of hostility. **Hmph. Neither of us is going to make it out of here alive; so you'd better make good use of the time you have left. Hadoken!**

Evading yet another fireball, the female reploid's eyes were drawn to the other side of the platform, where she realized that the magma was starting to slowly consume what was left of the huge chunk of rock on which they were standing. She had little choice now, either she managed to stop him or she died trying. Upon witnessing that his last fireball had proved a poor match for the red hunter, the renegade hunter entered a frenzy and rushed toward his mark. At this point, Zero could do little but to defend herself as the raging maverick almost pounced upon her; waving her saber in the hope of driving the murderous reploid back, the female reploid was forced to admit that if she remained there, she would probably be overwhelmed.

So, she waited for a breach, anything that could leave her an opening to move out of her current position; opening which came swiftly as the dragon-like reploid attempted to incapacitate her by aiming for her neck. The kick came quickly, but she was faster; she seized this opportunity by crouching and switching her target to his legs, which forced Magma Dragoon to leap behind her while she dashed right ahead.

Noticing that Zero was out of his immediate reach, the renegade hunter immediately charged toward her in order to make sure that she wouldn't have enough time to recover. But it was already too late; the female hunter was already preparing to strike him down as soon as he came within the reach of her Z-Saber. Magma Dragoon snarled as he ducked on his left side to avoid the incoming blow and then retaliated with an elbow strike header at her chin; using the female reploid's confusion to his advantage, he quickly knocked her down with a well-placed headbutt. Being unused to fight at such close quarters, the red hunter fell down, completely unaware of what happened within the past seconds, aside from a very obvious headache; then, the dragon-like maverick rushed to grab her wrist and then said. **Pathetic.**

The maverick then began to twist her sword-wielding arm; the female hunter could barely stand the pain coming from her arm as she felt her saber slip though her hand._**Aghh!!**_

With his prey now disarmed, the dragon-like reploid dropped her arm and sent her weapon rolling as far from them as he could muster. Meanwhile, fearing for her life, Zero painfully listed herself up from the ground; unfortunately, her efforts hadn't gone unnoticed by Magma Dragoon, who turned back to face her with his mouth now filled with raging flames. But it wasn't enough, for that the female reploid had narrowly managed to escape the large fireball; the red hunter almost couldn't believe her luck, had she remained there for a few more seconds, she would probably have been vaporized and all would have been over…

Even so, things weren't looking so good after all; she was completely disarmed and had suffered several minor injuries while Magma Dragoon seemed to be pleased with the fact that he had managed to convince her to fight back. Around them, the platform was starting to shrink since about a third its surface had already been swallowed by the lava. **What is this? Is that all you've got? Don't even think about disappointing me!**

Seeing the murderous reploid heading toward her once again, Zero prepared herself even though she was well aware that she no longer had her saber. _**Won't you just shut up already?!!**_

So, she did the only think that she could think of at the moment, she evaded the blows that were coming toward her; once, twice, three times… Until Magma Dragoon finally managed to kick her on her sides. Ignoring the pain, Zero simply said in a tone filled with anger. _**Dammit!**_

With a sudden burst of strength, probably caused by despair, the female hunter punched the renegade hunter's jaw as hard as she could; effectively stunning him for a few seconds, he seemed to have been somewhat caught off guard since she hadn't attempted anything since he had disarmed her. The female reploid used this opportunity to land two other blows, one in his gut, and another to his chin; the confused maverick shook his head in disbelief as he tried to get a hold of himself and attempted to build up whatever defense he could muster against this sudden turn of events.

Unknown to both reploids, another part of the platform had fallen to the magma and caused a small tremor on the platform, effectively upsetting both reploids balances. Seeing this as the one opening that she had been waiting for, the female hunter made a run for her saber while Magma Dragoon clumsily attempted to follow. Once the Z-Saber was within their reach, both reploids dived on it in order to retrieve it; however, it was Zero that was the first to get a hold of the weapon. Noticing that the female hunter had already reached her weapon, the dragon-like reploid pounced on her in an attempt to keep her pinned down.

With her saber in hand, Zero struggled to raiser her blade toward the maverick's neck as the latter desperately tried to do the same on her. After a few moments of struggle, the red hunter figured that their was no point in trying to fight back while she was below; so, she rolled over the dragon-like reploid, hoping that she would get the upper hand now that she was the one on top. However, Magma Dragoon's proved to be too much to handle for her as he pushed her back in a last act of desperation, sending her further on the ground.

The dragon-like reploid stood back his foot while roaring flames were gathering within his hands. **I'm not giving up! Ha-Do… … …**As he was finishing his sentence, Magma Dragoon felt an immense pain going though his chest as his upper body fell on the solid ground; The red hunter had panicked when she realized that he was about to fire another fireball at point blank and had sliced him in half before he could gather enough energy to finish her.

Painfully, the female reploid stood back, tried to pull herself together and headed to Magma Dragoon's side. Considering the poor state in which he was, it was almost a miracle that the renegade hunter was still able to speak, he then said. **It… It… was worth it…**

You idiot. Why did you do that…? You had absolutely no reason to die…

**I wanted to defeat you… … so badly…** The dragon-like reploid couldn't feel his body anymore, he could see nothing else but Zero staring at him as life began to fade from his body, his eyes widened as he went on. **Then… he came…**

Who? Who?!!

He coughed. **… He … told me that I could fight you… … but only if I helped him… …**

The female reploid frantically shooks him, in an attempt to keep him awake long enough for him to reveal the identity of this mysterious person. _**Who told you this?!**_

I was weak… Sorry… Zero… … …

The female hunter tried to keep him awake, she called for him. _**Magma Dragoon!!!**_ It was no use now… For all intent and purpose, Magma Dragoon was dead; it was then, that the melee unit was lost forever.

Unfortunately, it was no time to grieve, the platform had almost completely sunk; Zero desperately tried to contact the hunters, even though she knew fully well that she had failed to do so before encountering the renegade hunter. _**C'mon Iris… Answer… Please. C'MON!!**_

The magma was getting closer as the female reploid tried to reach the hunters; about three meters away from her, she could see Magma Dragoon sink within the lava while she heard nothing more than parasites through her communicator. A moment later, through the parasites, she heard a familiar voice. _… ero!!…_

Iris!

_Zero!! Respond, please!_

Iris! Transfer me back to the base, quickly!!!

_Zero! You're alright, what happened?!_

No time to explain. Get me out of here!

_3…Oh and forget it. Transfer!!!_

And so, the rest of the platform was swallowed while the female reploid was transferred back to the Maverick Hunters HQ.

---

Maverick Hunters HQ, transfer room…

Once her awareness of her surrounding came back, Zero couldn't help but to breathe a sigh of relief when she witnessed the walls around her. A few seconds later, Iris rushed within the room. _Zero!_

The female hunter simply smiled as she said. _**Thank you Iris, I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't been there.**_

_Where were you? I have been trying to reach you ever since I lost you on my sensors._

Really?

Iris was somewhat taken by surprise by her question and answered. _Hm… Yes… Of course I did. But you are not answering my question._

Magma Dragoon ambushed me, he must have been the one behind this jamming; but it doesn't matter now, he's dead.

What?…Haven't you tried to…

He left me no other choice; it was either him or me.

The female spotter hesitated and reluctantly said._I see…_

Unfortunately, Signas and two other hunters that barged within the room interrupted both reploids. The tall officer said. **Zero, finally. Hurry up and follow me.**

Huh?

Signas frowned and replied. **Something unusual came up; we're sending you out immediately following a briefing; so, hurry up and follow me, that's an order.**

Strangely, Iris spoke up before the red hunter could say anything. _I'm sorry sir, but Zero is in no shape to go on another mission right now._

After carefully examining the female hunter, the tall officer said. **… Fine, go to the medical bay and go to the briefing room as soon as they're done with you.**

The female hunter wasn't exactly sure what had just happened back there, but at least she was glad that she didn't have to go on another mission right away.

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Heh, I'm surprised at how I managed to handle the fight with Magma Dragoon; I have to admit that one of the biggest issue within the kind of chapters is learning how to deal with the fact that the Megaman X series often use a large variety of different weapons for its characters which are far harder to depict within a FanFic chapter than within the actual game. When you look at it, it is quite hard to mix weapons with conflicting ranges such as, let's say, X ranged buster with a more melee oriented weapon like Colonel's beam saber; issue which is also noticeable between Magma Dragoon's unarmed range and Zero's sword range. One of the main problem with this is that it is far harder to defend yourself with a gun if someone is about to give you a headbutt, which also applies in the cases that I have to use an oversized boss such as Eregion.

Preview: With her repairs completed, Zero is immediately sent to a jungle within Point 3302 where an unknown group of reploids has been seen retaliating against the Repliforce's occupation. However, this group is now hard pressed under the constant assault of General's forces, which is why Zero is sent to locate this group and lend whatever help she can to stop their pursuers in their tracks. From where did this mysterious group come from and why is the Replifoce so eager to destroy them? Next Chapter: Jungle Rumble.


	29. Jungle Rumble

Chapter 29

Jungle Rumble

Zero's trip to the medical bay proved to be quite refreshing considering all that had happened recently. Frankly, she was amazed at the fact that she had actually managed to stay in one piece ever after such a close call in the volcano; had Iris given up on trying to reach her, her life expectancy would not have looked so good. Even though she had managed to overcome the melee unit before it could cause any more harm, the thought that she would have to get back on the field so soon after her last mission was all but reassuring.

While she still refused to say it, the current situation was really beginning to get to her and her mind wandered far more often than she would have liked. The Repliforce still hadn't made its move and seemed content to let the hunters deal with the ravenous mavericks, while they strengthened their position within the north hemisphere. Also, to make matters worse, a maverick hacker had succeeded to infiltrate the Maverick Hunters main computer while she was gone and had even managed to steal crucial data from their database before being destroyed by X, who had already left to investigate the claims that an unnamed group of mavericks had taken residence within an abandoned bio lab on the edge of Able City.

For some reasons, Zero had the feeling that this hacker had probably come to finish the work that Theta had started weeks ago, which only gave more credit to the words uttered by Magma Dragoon before he was destroyed. At least, the female reploid was happy to find out that Iris had decided to stick with the hunters even though it was obvious that doing so would probably put her at odds with her brother and the Repliforce; but, when Iris came to visit the female hunter while she was undergoing repairs, she seemed to be strangely calm for someone in her situation.

And so, with those thoughts still fresh in her head, Zero entered the briefing room to get the details of her new mission. From what she could see from there, Signas still hadn't lost his frown from last time and hastily beckoned to her as she approached. He said. **You sure like to take your time, don't you?**

The female reploid replied. _**Oh, please, don't take that tone with me; consider yourself lucky that I even bothered to show up when I knew that you had some really bad news for me.**_

The tall officer sighed and went on, not really paying any attention to what she was saying. **Whatever, let's just focus on the issue at hand. It would seem that some members of the Repliforce have been involved in some unusual skirmish occurring within Point 3302…**

_**So, what are we talking about exactly? Mavericks? Mercenaries? Mechaniloids?**_

**We only know that whoever is retaliating against Repliforce, is severely outnumbered and won't hold for much longer if they can't get any help soon.**

Zero shrugged. _**So what? I hardly see where this is going.**_

**YOU, are going to locate this group and discover if they could be potential allies against our common enemy; if they agree to help, organize them and make sure that they succeed to wipe out their pursuers before Repliforce can send any more reinforcements.**

_**What do you expect me to do? I'm not exactly the best leader you have on hand you know…**_

Signas shook his head and answered. **The whole area is covered in dense jungle, which will make it very difficult for Repliforce to locate them; and since we don't have any other guerrilla specialist on hand, you'll have to do.**

_**Oh… THAT's reassuring.**_

---

As usual, it seemed like the hunters had absolutely no intention of wasting their resources on locating what was as likely to be allies as another group of insane mavericks; back then, Zero wondered if she wouldn't have been better off shutting her mouth rather than complain to Signas that she would need far more mens to handle this mission, which only encouraged him to send her on her own to deal with them.

At least, he wasn't kidding when he said that Point 3302 was covered in thick jungle, this place had so many perfect hideouts and a ridiculous amount of ambush spots that she probably could last for a while without anyone ever knowing of her presence. From there, it was a simple matter of scouting her surrounding in the hope that she could find this group before Repliforce did.

Aside from the usual rustling of the leaves, this jungle was pretty calm for a battlefield; she would have expected to see burned vegetation all over the place but found the place to be relatively intact… At least, until she came upon a very peculiar sight…

It was about half-an-hour after she had been transferred here and she seemed to have found clues that someone had hastily left this place for a more favorable spot; aside from a minimum of supply left behind by the previous occupants of this camp, the female hunter found some cleverly concealed burn marks similar to those caused by standard buster guns, which suggested that there were probably many more traces of struggle in the vicinity.

Not too far away from there, the female reploid was surprised to find that the vegetation wasn't as thick as she would have expected in this region and she could have sworn that she had heard voices coming from over there two minutes ago.

The red hunter hoped that those voices might belong to one of the members of the group she was seeking, but she couldn't have been further from the truth. There, she found a large group of at least a dozen reploids that seemed to be busy securing their surrounding. Zero spotted one of them and incapacitated him before he could reveal her presence.

Fortunately, the bushes around her were quite tall and Zero was free to observe what they were doing before she was interrupted by an angry voice coming from afar. **Hurry up you idiots! I want us to be able to move as soon as the messenger is gone!**

At this point, even Zero could figure out that these guys were up to something; and since they weren't aware that she had been watching them, she figured that she could wait there until this messenger showed up.

Within the next twenty minutes, the female reploid heard the angry voice repeatedly barking orders at its subordinates who didn't seem to be too wiling to oblige. But it no longer mattered, for that three tall reploids came from afar to meet with the leader of the unknown group of reploids. Luckily, it seemed like the location of their meeting was supposed to take place not too far from her hideout, which meant that she would be able to listen to them without fearing discovery.

However, Zero wasn't ready for the shock that ensued when the leaders of both group came; it was almost as if she had seen a ghost since these guys were probably the two last reploids that she would have expected to find here. Web Spider stepped forward to meet with the other group and impatiently awaited for the other leader to do the same; which, to make matters worse was none other than Colonel, accompanied by two other soldiers of Repliforce. The spider-like reploid spoke. **Took you long enough, don't you have any idea of how risky this kind of meeting is? Don't you remember that we're not the only ones here?!!**

**Consider yourself lucky that I even bothered to come in person. I must be brief, so how is the fight coming along?**

**Perfectly. What else did you expect? With me in charge, we'll have those guys scrapped in no time.**

Colonel frowned, probably to demonstrate his skepticism. **Really? Then why did you request for reinforcements? What happened to the last ones?**

From what Zero could tell, it was obvious that Web Spider was lying when he said. **They were hmm… ambushed…**

**How come? You are outnumbering them three to one, surely you know that I will not tolerate any kinds of incompetence from my officers.**

**But…**

**No more excuses Spider! The General is expecting results. Do I need to remind you're the one that disobeyed our orders by attempting to wipe them out in the first place?**

**It wasn't my fault!!! It was…**

The tall officer interrupted him and harshly replied. **Silence! I will hear no more until I see results. You have created this mess; therefore, you're the one who's going to clean it. Repliforce will not waste their resources in this futile conflict any longer!**

The female reploid noticed that the spider-like reploid was scratching one of his hands, when he mumbled something that she didn't quite catch; what were they talking about anyway? And how the hell was Web Spider still alive?

**Now get back to work, and silence them, permanently; WE cannot afford to have this group join forces with the maverick hunters, understood?**

**Yes sir…**

Colonel turned around, with his soldiers still keeping an eye on Web Spider, who seemed to be cursing heavily under his breath. However, something caught the tall officer's attention and he stared right in the female hunter's direction. Zero completely froze under his gaze and couldn't even bring herself to run since she thought that the others might notice her if she made a single movement. One of the other soldiers caught up with Colonel and asked something; the tall reploid declined and turned back in Web Spider's direction. **One more thing Spider, if you fail to carry out these orders, don't bother crawling back to Repliforce. Succeed or don't come back at all.**

And so, the three reploids from Repliforce left and were transferred backs to their own headquarter. Once they were gone, Zero heard Web Spider yelling. **Damn you! We had a deal General!!!**

The female reploid left as soon as the nearest guards joined with the main group and hurried before her luck turned on her. She could have sworn that Colonel had spotted her within the bushed and to be honest, she was certain that she was done for; but maybe… he did spotted her, but preferred to let her off the hook this time around. At least, that's what she wanted to believe.

Unfortunately, the red hunter didn't get very far; as soon as she entered a clearing with an open view, she felt that someone was spying on her. It was far too quiet; Zero reached for her saber and jumped straight ahead right before a buster shot dug a hole right where she used to stand. The female reploid quickly dashed ahead while two other shots came in her direction; however, she was soon stopped by three camouflaged reploids that blocked her way. She tried to turn around but soon found out that she was surrounded by a total of five reploids, all armed with buster rifles.

Seeing that she had absolutely no chance to escape this situation, the female hunter dropped her saber and raised her hand so that they could see that she was no longer armed. Three of them closed on her and tied her up so that she wouldn't try to struggle, even though she was currently in no position to argue…

---

Unknown location within Point 3302…

After willingly surrendering to the five reploids that had ambushed her, Zero followed her captors back all the way to their camps. From what little she could see from the back of the one that was carrying her on his shoulder, this camp couldn't have housed more than half-a-dozen reploids, though appearances were probably deceiving since they managed to capture her so easily.

They soon reached the gate and asked for someone by the name of Mira to come and see what they had caught. Strangely enough, peoples within the camps didn't seem to notice her, probably because she wasn't the first to be brought here in this fashion.

About five minutes later, a female reploid with short black hairs joined them and examined the female hunter more closely. From what Zero could see, since they had dropped her on the ground, this Mira was wearing a thin white armor with small teal lines scattered all over her body; she had two buster guns hanging down from her waist and the female hunter could clearly see that she was wearing a pairs of headphones that were attached to a glass visor that went down about to her nose. Strangely enough, something seemed to have troubled this girl since she turned back to her captors and yelled. _You dumbass!!! Don't you even recognize her?! Hurry up and untie her!_

Even though the other reploids didn't quite seem to understand what she was saying, they simply obeyed and helped her stand up. _Aw… Geez… Sorry ma'am._

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Well, here we go with yet another chapter. I got to say that I've been quite busy lately, but fortunately, things seems to be working out rather well for me as I just managed to obtain an internship within a nice company and that most of my late work has been dealt with.

Also, I have a special announcement to make; I am going release a brand new story for the holidays. It shouldn't interfere with this current project since this other story will mainly serve as a mean to train me to make smaller stories that doesn't span over 50+ chapters and also tell me if I can manage to write something without working on it at regular interval. As for what this new story will be about, I'm afraid that I won't tell you until I'm done with the first chapter even though most of the preliminary research have been completed; but if my hunch is right, it should be great, so make sure you consult my profile when the time comes.

Preview: After her rather unpleasant trip to the camp of the rebels, that had been fighting the Repliforce, Zero learn that Web Spider's betrayal runs far deeper than she had expected and that something is amiss with those rebels. So, in order to discover the truth behind Web Spider's motives, our hunter is finally ready to turn the tables back in the rebels favor. Who are those rebels anyway? What does Web Spider have in store for Zero? Next Chapter: Jungle Rumble (Part 2).


	30. Jungle Rumble Part 2

Chapter 30

Jungle Rumble (Part 2)

A lot of questions assaulted Zero's mind as she tried to get a hang of her current situation; not only did she had absolutely no idea of where she was, but within a few instants, she jumped from the rank of helpless prisoner to that of honored guest. Though this, Mira, seemed to know quite a lot about her, the female hunter was positive that they had never met before.

Once the other reploids were done removing her bondages; the black-haired reploid, who seemed to be the commanding officer, literally melted in apologies as she tried to explain that this was all a big misunderstanding. Zero assured her that there was no harm done and promptly asked for some explanations. _**I don't mean to sound ungrateful or anything, but I'm kinda lost here; where am I and how do you know who I am?**_

The other female reploid scratched the back of her head and replied. _Aw… Yeah, the details. Well, I doubt that I'm the best person to answer those questions really… I think you would be better off asking Wire about this, I suppose you could say that he's the one in charge now._

The red hunter wasn't exactly sure whether this reploid was actually speaking the truth or if she was trying to hide something, but she figured that she was in no position to argue. _**Alright, and you are?**_

The black-haired reploid immediately answered with a clumsily executed salute. _D-Class hunter Mira of the Zero Unit, ma'am!_

It took a few seconds for those last words to sink inside Zero's head as she tried to figure out how such a thing could even be possible. _**But… How?… You…**_

_Oh.__Not again!… Look, ma'am, all I care to know is that there's a whole lot of reploids out there trying to kill both you and us and to be honest, I'd rather not see them succeed. Wire's the one you wanna talk to, so just follow me, will you?_

Since Mira had already grabbed her by the wrist and was already pulling toward the center of the camp, the red hunter was left with little choice but to comply with her demands. Though she repeatedly tried to get some more explanations out of the black-haired reploid, the latter categorically refused to answer any more questions before she had spoken with this Wire; either she really had no idea of what was going on, which may explain why she was getting so mad each times she tried to ask another question, or she was definitely hiding something from her.

And indeed, after hearing the details from their leader, who used to be a C-Class spotter working with the maverick hunters; it turned out that their situation was far stranger than anything she could have imagined.

Wire explained that Web Spider had struck a deal with the Repliforce and had agreed to lead the remaining members of the Zero Unit into a trap; then, once he had successfully delivered them right into the hands of the Melee Unit, the former maverick hunter faked his own death to ensure that the hunters wouldn't come after him.

His plan was flawless, but something happened that he hadn't quite planned; a small group of hunters, rallied by Wire, Mira and another reploid called Sweeper, had used the chaos to escape and were now constantly hounded by the Repliforce. When Zero asked them why they never tried to contact her or the hunters for herlp, Wire explained that Repliforce had shut down all communications within this whole sector, preventing them from contacting any outside help.

Though relieved that her Unit hadn't been completely wiped out, Zero wondered why some of them didn't seem to recognize her while she was unable to remember any of them. In fact, this matter was clarified upon the arrival of a C-Class hunter called Sweeper, who had been recently transferred along with twenty other hunters to her Unit; of course, both reploids took great care to mention that she wasn't exactly easy to get a hold of since she was always away for one mission or another.

The truth was hard to swallow, but they were right, she was far too busy to know everything that was going on within her own unit. However, when asked about how they had managed to escape Repliforce for so long, they answered that it was all thanks to her training that they were able to survive within this hostile environment.

It turned out that those three reploids, that had taken it upon themselves to lead this group, had managed to be quite proficient at these kinds of things. The hunter called Sweeper was in charge of reconnaissance and provided them with valuable information on the whereabouts of the enemy forces while Wire was in charge of planning the operations and transmitting the info back to Mira; who was now in charge of both the camp's security and leading their forces on the battlefield. It sounded quite complicated to begin with, but it turned out that the three reploids had managed to do tremendous damages to their pursuers with minimal casualties.

---

Strangely enough, the return of their former commander seemed to have raised the morale of the surviving members of the Zero Unit; Wire, in particular, didn't seem to be entirely comfortable with the idea of being the one in charge and quickly offered her to take over the operations. However, the female reploids figured that it was probably better for them to stick with their current leadership rather than having her leads them blindly through enemy territories.

Regardless, the C-Class spotter insisted that she should at least stay to hear what Sweeper had to report so that she may add her expertise to the team.

Sweeper, who used to belong to the 4th Overland Unit prior to the second maverick revolt held a striking resemblance to X, though he was far slimmer than the former and looked more like a speeder pilot than a maverick hunter. The dark-green armored reploid began to explain. Things aren't looking so well, Web Spider is on the move and Mira told me that they had caught two of their scouts in the vicinity; it shouldn't be too long before they find us.

On the other hand, Wire was nothing special; in fact, if it weren't for those headphones, from which a mike hanged, she wouldn't have been able to tell him apart from any other low ranked hunter. From what she could tell so far, he obviously lacked confidence and she wondered how he had managed to make it as a C-Class spotter since she had to personally approve all C and B-Class promotions within her unit. He replied. **Hmmm… This is bad… If Repliforce sends any more reinforcements, we're done for…**

Realizing this was probably her cue, Zero swiftly added. _**There's need to worry about that, Repliforce won't be helping them any time soon.**_

Both male reploids stared at her as they awaited an explanation. _**I overheard one of their officers talking with Web Spider a few hours ago; Repliforce won't be helping them anymore.**_

**Well…**** that's the second bit of good news we've had in a while. I suppose that leaves only the turncoats to deal with.**

The C-Class hunter pointed out. Are you kidding me?! They're three times more numerous than we are! And we don't have any idea of where they are to begin with; this doesn't really place us in any position to fight back.

**Their numbers are immaterial for**** the moment, Mira can't handle a full scale assault on her own and we don't have the means to set up a proper ambush.**

Speaking of Mira, the red hunter was wondering why she wasn't here; after all, she was the one in charge of carrying out this kind of operations. So, she asked. _**Sorry, but why isn't she here? Shouldn't she know best whether or not she can carry this out?**_

Wire explained. **I'm sorry ma'am, but she prefers to work on a need-to-know basis. She firmly believes that she wouldn't be as efficient if she actually knew what we're up against. That's why we're the ones taking care of the planning.**

_**I mean, you're a team, right? Wouldn't that makes things even worse?**_

The slim hunter shrugged and replied. Not really, it's way easier to convince her to go on suicidal missions if she doesn't know the odds. So far, it worked fine.

This made little sense for the female reploid, but she figured that she shouldn't be picky. _**Then, how many do we have on our side?**_

**Fifteen or so… Maybe less.**

_**Do they have a**__** weakness that we could exploit?**_

**Maybe… You're probably already aware of i****t, ma'am, but Web Spider himself is probably the most obvious weakness; as you already know, he's an extremely careful planner and his operations are often executed flawlessly…**

Zero already knew where this was going, but she figured that she should let him take some credit for figuring it out. _**Go on…**_

**But he's a very poor l****eader and is often unable to cope with any unexpected developments that occur to his plans. Unfortunately, this is rather useless to us since he doesn't know who's in charge of our forces; therefore, we do not have any kind of juicy bait to offer so that we may lure him into an ambush.**

The female reploid would have preferred that he had used another word than 'bait', but this would have to do. _**Well, now you've got one. **_

Both reploids spoke in unison. **Huh?!!**

_**What? It's perfectly logical, he hates me... From what you guys told me, he has a whole lot of reasons for wanting me dead and he probably doesn't want to see us team up against him.**__** So, given the opportunity, I'm pretty sure he would go at any length to get rid of me BEFORE I meddle with his plans.**_

The unremarkable spotter paused for a moment and said. **If… If you managed to ensnare a large number of their forces and maybe their leader himself, we might stand a chance…**

No way, even if she did manage to ensnare 70 of their forces, we still wouldn't make it with the numbers we have.

**No, listen… If you and Mira could**** imprison them within some kind of pincer formation, we could probably wipe out a whole lot of them before they even have a chance to blink.**

That is, ASSUMING that the spider will bite.

The female reploid immediately reacted. **_Let me deal with that, how long before you can set this in motion?_**

**I would say about three hours, just long enough for the patrols to return and to gather everyone together.**

I'm really beginning to think that Mira may have been right; I really shouldn't have listened to all this.

**_Don't worry, it'll be fine…_**

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Hmm… This chapter was hell… Fortunately, I'll soon be done with this Web Spider subplot and I'll finally be able to get back to more solid grounds. At least, I suppose that getting through the whole Magma Dragoon and Web Spider thing was worthwhile in some way, because they were probably one of the main reasons why the story of Megaman X4 was so centered on Zero. I mean, this reploid got to be one of the unluckiest hunter ever; he manage to get involved with both Colonel and Iris and ended up being betrayed by both Magma Dragoon and a member of his own Unit…

Anyway, let's go on to an entirely unrelated subject for a moment; you remember that surprise I spoke of a few weeks ago? Well, Chapter 1 is now live; so don't forget to check it out if you're interested in reading something a little different.

Preview: The stage is set and all of the pawns are now moving into place. Zero is left in a tight spot when she is forced to serve as a bait to lure Web Spider out of his hideout and now has no choice but to trust in the strength of her own Unit to prevail. Will the Zero Unit succeed to pull this off? Will the final showdown between Web Spider and the maverick hunters finally occur? Next Chapter: Jungle Rumble (Part 3)


	31. Jungle Rumble Part 3

Chapter 31

Jungle Rumble (Part 3)

The trap was laid and the plan was in motion. The remnants of the Stealth Unit were now moving in position while their former commander made her way deeper within the jungle. It felt wrong… Zero couldn't get used to the idea of being bait even though this was her own idea. It was far too counter-intuitive, she knew fully well that all that she had to do was to lure Web Spider out of his hideout but she couldn't help but to feel a little nervous.

While she progressed, the female reploid couldn't shake off the feeling of being shadowed; after all, how could she feel secure when she couldn't tell whether or not the shadows around her were mavericks or just Mira's squad that was following her a little closely. At least, the sound of the leaves was enough to keep her wide-awake.

The flora was getting denser with each passing minutes and the red hunter was starting to twitch under the pressure. It was then, that she noticed it… movement… But not the one she would expect from a normal reploid; this time, it was coming from the trees. Zero scanned her surroundings to locate this new threat and heard the sound of something flickering above her; she whispered so that only she could hear. _**Damn…**_

The female hunter immediately jumped ahead of her and rolled on the a little further while an electrified net fell and burned the grass beneath it where she used to stand. _**I know you're here, show yourself!**_

Suddenly, countless armed reploids stepped from the shadows and proceeded to encircle her. Then, a familiar shape broke the circle and took a few steps forward. This reploid was none other than her former second-in-command, Web Spider himself, who had felt the need to come and taunt her in person. He said. _Well, well… What do we have here? I've been expecting you Zero._

The female hunter was fortunate indeed that the renegade hunter had fallen for their trick; but of course, he wouldn't know it until it was too late. She replied. _**Yeah, I figured that much. So… you're with Repliforce now, huh?**_

_Yeah… I command my own Unit now._

The female reploid knew that she had to buy time for Mira to get in position, so she said. _**Good for you, I guess… Now, if you would excuuuse me, I'm in a hurry right now.**_

But of course, trying to leave wasn't such a great idea; as soon as she stepped into another direction, two of Web Spider's men loaded their weapons and aimed them at her. Zero abruptly stopped while the maverick smirked. _Heh heh! What's the rush, ma'am? Is our company not good enough for you?_

_**Hm… No, not at all... It just feels a little awkward with the guns and all that.**_

_After all… It's not often that one such as I can catch the almighty commander of the 0__th__ Unit, Zero herself, into my web._

The red hunter was beginning to wonder what the others would show up. _**I'm flattered that you would spend so much resource just to get me, but seriously, why did you do this? Why betray the maverick hunters?**_

_Isn't it obvious? I knew I wasn't going anywhere with the hunters; And Repliforce has a knack for recognizing talent where others don't._

_**Do you really think that Repliforce will want anything to do with you once you're done here? After all, you've turned your back on the hunters, what makes you think that they won't do the same with you?**_

The female hunter could see the anger seething within the spider-like reploid's eyes when he yelled. _Idiotic girl; you know NOTHING! I can't see why they made someone like you a commander; it should have been me! I coveted this position for a long time and yet… they choose you! I should have been the one who led the Stealth Unit, not you!!! You and this insufferable attitude of yours, you, who always mess up our plans; you, who always disregard our orders as if you knew better. I hate you!_

Zero wasn't that surprised; Web Spider had always been blind to the truth because he was always so full of himself. _**So that's it? You've just done this because you were jealous?!!! They only gave it to me because they felt I was ready for it; I never asked to be the commander…**_

He wasn't listening; nothing she could say would change his mind. He interrupted her as if he was only speaking to himself. _But now… I'm the one in charge; I'm the one who's giving the orders… And today… I will no longer have to suffer your presence, heh heh heh!!! HeH HEH HEH HEH!!!_

While the maverick was enjoying every seconds, cackling madly as he drowned within his ego, Zero saw Mira hidden outside of the circle, who informed her that they were in position._**So, I was right…**_

_WHAT???_

**_I was afraid to promote you before, because I felt that you weren't ready for it. Unlike your predecessor, you are way too ambitious and full of yourself to make levelheaded decisions. I was right to choose Blast Hornet as my second-in-command; at least, he didn't go maverick on purpose._**

The spider-like reploid's eyes were boiling with fury when he answered. _How dare you belittle me?!!! I've had enough of you; KILL HER!!!_

All the reploids surrounding her suddenly aimed at Zero; she then raised her hand and said. _**Now, let's not get too hasty, shall we?**_ The female reploid snapped her fingers and yelled._** Guys!!!**_

And so, the trap was triggered. Mira's squad was now showering the renegade hunter's minions with their buster rifles while their leader was trying to figure out what had just happened. He yelled. _KILL THEM! Kill every single one of them!!!_

The spider-like reploid's face was priceless; so much in fact, that Zero too a few moment to savor it before igniting her weapon. As for his forces, all of them had been extremely slow to react except for those that Repliforce had lent him; but even so, the difference in numbers was too great and even with the efforts of both Zero and Mira, the situation was slowly shifting in the mavericks favor.

Fortunately, Sweeper's squad arrived just in time to squeeze the mavericks in-between both units while the red hunter was taking care of isolated targets.

However, Zero soon realized that she had lost Web Spider amidst the chaos and was now actively looking for the renegade hunter. It was then, that she saw him trying to disappear deeper within the jungle, leaving his own forces to fend for themselves. Sweeper, who had also noticed this, quickly rode with his speeder toward the female reploid and picked her up along the way. Of course, the female hunter was caught by surprise by this sudden gesture of help. _**Huh???**_

He quickly explained. **You're not going to let him slide after all he has done, right? Leave this to us and bring that bastard back to where he belongs.** The red hunter nodded and clung to the speeder as they chased after the spider-like reploid.

Web Spider was moving quickly, thanks to his four limbs, but even so, he was still was no match for them; they rode past him at a safe distance, Sweeper dropped her in a clearing a little further ahead of him and returned to lead his own men on the battlefield.

Though the renegade hunter attempted to run through the clearing, but was quickly stopped by the female reploid, who grabbed him by the neck as he attempted to run past the trees behind which she was hidden. She forced him to face her. _**Where do you think you're going?!! Are you going to let them die while you save your own skin?!**_

Web Spider was terrified as he struggled to squirm his way out of her grasp. _P-Please ma'am. Do-Don't kill me, I can explain everything…_

Zero could barely contain her anger when she threw him on the ground. _**Not only are you a traitor and a liar, but you're also a coward?!**_

The spider-like reploid tried to crawl a little further away from her, but was stopped in his track as the female reploid caught him once more. _You're right… I am a coward..._ For some reasons though, the maverick's voice changed as he went on. _But… That's still a thousand times better than being as gullible as you are!_

The maverick revealed a small metallic sphere within his left hand and threw the projectile at the red reploid, who was caught by surprise when it suddenly transformed into a dozens of spidery mechaniloids that were now crawling all over her body.

Zero struggled to get the small contraptions away from her but soon realized that Web Spider was now trying to escape once more. But… He did not go far. As soon as he was a few meters out of her reach, he was shot on his right side by an unknown assailant.

Upon realizing the seriousness of his wound, the spider-like reploid spoke. _You… You just had to ruin everything…_ Then, as the female reploid managed to get rid of all the mechaniloids, a second blast made its way right through his chest as he tried to go on.

_I-I hate you… I hate you SO much…_ Knowing that his end was near, Web Spider suddenly charged toward the red hunter, but was unfortunately stopped as a third blast vaporized his head.

The spidery reploid carcass fell crumble on the ground. Zero took a few steps forward to investigate the body; but it soon made little doubt that he could not have made it. _**You once told me that someday I would get you killed… Looks like you were right.**_

For some reasons, she wasn't feeling any guilt; even though he had given many years of his life to their cause and saved her life twice. She was glad that he was dead; it made little doubt within her mind that he deserved it.

Then, another voice spoke timidly as she was bending beside the body. **Ma'am…?**

Zero turned to face this unknown interloper and realized that this was Wire, who now wore a buster gun that was probably responsible for Web Spider's demise. He asked once more.**Ma'am?**

_**Sorry, you lost me for a second; what are you doing here?**_

**I… I saw you going after Web Spider… I just thought that you might…**

Something was wrong with him, his voice was trembling and his hands were shaking; could it be that he had never shot another reploid before? _**Need help?**_

**Y-Yes.**

The female reploid stood back up and replied._**Well, obviously, you were right. I'm grateful you arrived when you did; who knows what might have happened if this coward had remained alive.**_

**You mean he's really… …**

_**It's rather hard to survive without your head attached to your neck, you know.**_

**I see… W-What are your orders now, ma'am?**

The red hunter answered. _**Keep your weapon at hand and follow me, this day is far from over…**_

But in fact, she was wrong; with their leader gone and their forces stuck between enemy fires; Web Spider's renegade Unit soon paid the ultimate price for their betrayal. This day belonged to the Zero Unit and to the four reploids that had made it all possible. But, all knew that even though most mavericks had been dealt with, Repliforce still remained…

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And so, with the New Year comes another chapter… But this isn't all there is to this chapter; this is also the last chapter before the one-year anniversary of the first chapter of this FanFic.

Alright, I don't wanna get all sentimental; but to be honest, I never believed that I would ever make it this far with this story and yet, thanks to you readers, I did. So, I'd like to take a moment to thank you all and promise you that I will do all in my power to make it even better.

As for this chapter, it didn't quite end up as I had first planned. At first I thought that I would deal with this sub-plot in two chapters and end it with a titanic clash between Web Spider and Zero; but then I thought, would Web Spider truly give Zero a fair fight? Of course not, he's a schemer and a traitor; even when cornered, he would probably fight dirty, much like he did during the game when he used the trees to hide from whichever reploid you were playing. So I figured that he should remain a coward until the bitter end.

Preview: With the death of Magma Dragoon and Web Spider, Zero returns to the headquarter of the maverick hunters. Unfortunately, Iris comes bearing a message from her brother, requesting that the female hunter meets him alone within the hall of memories. What does Colonel have in mind? Will Zero and Colonel truly become enemies? Next chapter: One Last Chance.


	32. One Last Chance

Chapter 32

One Last Chance

The return of the survivors from the Zero Unit was greeted with much enthusiasm, which could probably be explained by the fact that many hunters began to interpret this as a sign that the maverick uprising was finally running out of breath. But everyone did not shared this opinion.

X, in particular, began to wonder if Repliforce really had anything to do with the events of the past few days; though Zero's encounter with Web Spider seemed to state otherwise. His suspicions later became evident when he heard the last words uttered by Magma Dragoon before he fell into the volcano. But even so, his only clue regarding the identity of this third player was obtained through a rather dubious source, who suggested that he should 'Take a wild guess'; which could pretty much mean anyone since they had no means to ensure that their ranks were clear of potential turncoats.

The female hunter, on the other hand, firmly believed that General and the Repliforce were the only ones responsible for all that was happening around them; she remained convinced that the hunters should take immediate action to thwart them before they could cause any more harm.

But unfortunately, what they believed would change little to the fact that Repliforce had, so far, avoided any open conflict with the hunters; they seemed content to let them deal with the rampaging mavericks rather than obliterating them before they could pose any significant threat to their plans of independence… Which seemed to suggest that, in the near future, the tensions between both factions would escalate into a full-scale war.

---

Done with her various duties, Zero was finally awarded some rest while the remaining hunters cleaned up what remained of the damage caused by the ravenous mavericks. Unable to stand still, while knowing that Repliforce was waiting just at their doorsteps, the female reploid resigned herself to fill in the tedious recommendation forms to promote Mira, Sweeper and Wire to B-Class. Technically, their backgrounds and the fact that their records weren't exactly shining, made it unlikely that they would be deemed worthy of becoming B-Class hunters; which made her hope that they could benefit from field promotions considering the current situation.

Then, once she was done sending the demands to her superiors, Zero decided to go for a walk around the headquarter to see if anything had come up while she was gone.

Unfortunately, everything remained perfectly still as if some trouble was brewing right under their noses; at least, that what she thought before she met Iris along the corridor leading to the briefing room. For some reasons, her spotter sounded panicked when she reached her and looked as if she was about to crumble under the pressure. The red hunter asked. _**C'mon Iris, what's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost…**_

The brown-haired reploid caught her breath for a few seconds and managed to reply. _It's even worse than that, Zero! Please, follow me, quickly!_

And indeed, this seemed to be quite serious, since Iris dragged her all the way to an isolated room without giving her any more specifics. It was then, that they entered a dark room filled with various furniture, which also seemed to contain a particularly old computer that had seen little uses in the past years. The female reploid quickly turned on the computer and ran her fingers through its keyboard while Zero watched in disbelief. Of course, it was a fact that her spotter had nothing to do with a combat reploid and so she was more likely to be skilled within various domains of expertise; but the female hunter still couldn't shake off this feeling of amazement when she realized how fast she could work when the situation called for it. She asked. _**What is this all about, anyway? Shouldn't we be going within the command center or the briefing room?**_

_Shhh! Please, just give me one more minute._

The red hunter scratched her head, not really understanding where this was going, when the screen began to display heavy static. Then, once it had cleared up, Zero finally understood why Iris looked so panicked a few minutes ago… Colonel began. **Iris… I apologize for contacting you under such short notice, but it seems that I have little choice in this matter… **

The female hunter looked at her spotter in disbelief, but the latter avoided her gaze as if she was feeling disgusted about herself. **I have a favor to ask you; I need you… to deliver a message for me. But, I do not want you to compromise yourself any more than you already have; so be extremely careful in relaying this message or destroy it if you feel that this could place you in danger.**

Colonel took a deep breath and went on. **Tell Zero that I will be waiting for her within the memorial hall in three hours; there is something that I would like to discuss with her… Should she fail to make it there by then, or if I even feel the shadow of a maverick hunter behind me, then I will not show up… Be careful, sister. End of transmission… **Parasites filled the screen once again as the transmission ended.

The red hunter was angry, angry at Colonel for not trying to contact her any sooner, angry at Iris for hiding the fact that she was still in contact with her brother, even though she knew the Repliforce was now labeled as a maverick faction… Zero punched the wall beside her, constantly reminding herself of how much of jerk he was. _**How long?**_

_An hour ago…_

The female hunter clenched her fists and replied. _**Fine, I'll be there. This time he's gonna get it.**_

Iris spoke, trying to shrink herself into a dark corner so that the female hunter would no longer be able to see her. _Zero… Please, don't hate my brother… He's just doing what he thinks is best for everyone_. _I'm sure that if you two talk things out, there may still be a chance to avoid any more unnecessary fighting._

She did not understand… Of course she didn't, how could she? But, Zero was not so naïve; Colonel contacted her for one reason and one reason only, to taunt her. She would be there, and this time, neither of them would escape without a fight. _**Forget it, Iris. This time its personal…**_

---

2 hours later, within the memorial hall…

The reason why Colonel had chosen to meet her here soon became obvious once she had made it there; after all, it was here that Repliforce first declared war against all that would oppose them, claiming that their actions had nothing to do with rebellion against the humans. It was here, that he had betrayed her trust for the second time, by reaffirming his allegiance to the Repliforce, and dug the gaping chasm that was now keeping them apart.

As expected, the tall reploid stood alone near the pedestal, which General had previously used to give his speech before the cheering soldiers of Repliforce. Zero had come alone, as asked; or rather, she did not come with the intention of having others do her dirty work.

She yelled from above him. _**Colonel!**_

The officer from Repliforce frowned and located the source of her voice without much effort. Zero was towering above him and had already lit her saber, probably expecting him to do the same. **So you have come…**

_**Yeah, and I'm very disappointed at you! **_

The female reploid leaped from the ledge, on which she was standing, and pounced on him with her weapon in hand.

Already expecting a similar reaction, Colonel moved out of her way and did so until he managed to make some distance between himself and her blade. He asked. **What do you think you're doing?**

Zero answered, her voice clearly tainted with anger. _**My patience is coming to an end; forget about all this 'coup' nonsense and come with me without making any fuss!**_

The tall reploid paused, unsure of how he should phrase his own reply.**So, that is all you have to say?**

_**Huh?!**_

He went on, knowing that he had her full attention. **I for one, did not come here with the intention of having you arrested; I just wanted to talk, nothing more…**

Now, that was unexpected; after such a long time apart, Zero had managed to convince herself that he actually wanted to settle things the only way they knew how… By fighting each other. _**Yeah, right. I think we've moved beyond small talks, especially considering how your mavericks failed to get rid of me.**_

**Really, Zero? Unlike what you seem to think, I never remember making the choice to become your enemy…**

The female hunter interrupted him, knowing that he was probably trying to deny Repliforce's involvement in the recent uprising. _**What about Web Spider? What about my Unit?! Did you seriously think that I would forgive you once I realized that you were actually consorting with mavericks?!!!**_

**I had nothing to do with those mavericks… Though the death of your hunters was unfortunate; I want you to know that I had nothing to do with it. Independence has its price, and I trust the General's judgment on this matter. If I really wanted you or your Unit to disappear… I would have done so long before now.**

He was lying again, or so she was trying to convince herself. **_So that's why you ordered Web Spider to get rid of any witnesses when you learned that he had failed to slaughter every single one of em'?_**

**Spider failed to neutralize them without causing any casualties; and I knew that you would not believe me if I told you that I had nothing to do with it. So I did what I had to; I ordered him to clean up his own mess and severed any ties that Repliforce still had with these turncoat. And then… you came.**

Zero, still refusing to lower her weapon, asked. **_So you DID spot me?_**

Colonel smirked, knowing he had succeeded to plant some doubts within her mind.**Of course I did, but since you had already found out about him; then I had no more reasons to conceal this any longer. And to be honest, I trusted him no more than you did.**

She lowered her weapon, still wondering whether or nor she could trust him; but for some reasons, she felt that she could not. **_You paint a rather CONVINIENT picture; but how can I believe you now when you've been avoiding me ever since the incident of Sky Lagoon? _The female reploid clenched her fists once more. _How can I trust you when you haven't thought even once about my feelings?!_**

It was obvious that Colonel could find no answer to justify his past behavior; he avoided her gaze, as if trying to convince himself that this could not have been helped. **My hands were tied back then… And they still are… Surrendering would not have been such an issue if I had been on my own; but I could not ask my men to betray everything they had been thought just because you were the one asking me to.**

Zero sighed and asked him once again. _**I'm gonna ask you this one last time; stop the coup now or else… …** _

The officer from Repliforce answered, knowing fully well that he could no longer back down. **Never…**

The female reploid felt sorry, there was no avoiding it now. **_Then… You leave me no other choice…_**

**It does not have to be this way, Zero… Though a confrontation between the hunters and Repliforce is inevitable; it does not have to end this way.**

**_How?!! I can't think of anything else right now!_**

Colonel explained. **You can always disappear… **The red hunter looked desperate, as if she could no longer bear having him toy with her feelings. **If you could avoid getting involved into any more conflict with Repliforce; then, once the coup has been carried, there will no longer be any reason for us to fight…**

**_How the hell are we supposed to pull this off?!! I'm a maverick hunter and you, a soldier of Repliforce! The hunters will think I've turned maverick and Repliforce would never want anything to do with me._**

Fortunately, the tall reploid already had this all figured out; he said. **I am certain I could convince the General to grant you forgiveness for what you have done, and maybe even allow you to take part to our utopia.**

Her head hurt, she could no longer think strait anymore. **_Hm… But, I… … …_**

Colonel felt relieved, maybe all was not lost after all; he only needed to hear a single word from her and they would no longer have to be separated… But this decision, was her's alone…

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Aw… I absolutely love this kind of ending… Makes me feel all fuzzy inside. Anyway, unlike what you might have been thinking, there's actually a reason why I have decided to end this right there; I have been 'rattling my bone box' a lot over this chapter and it occurred to me that I wasn't really obligated to follow the same plot as the game. I asked myself, what if Zero actually choose not to fight Repliforce? That would surely have a huge impact on how things would have turned out and I wondered whether or not I should stick by the plan or go through another path entirely.

So, considering that you are still reading this; then you must have already guessed where this is going… Since I don't have any particular preference in the matter, I figured that it would be the perfect time to test this new pooling functionality that they've implemented a whole ago; the whole point being to convince me, either through reviews or by voting, that I should pick one option rather than the other. So, now you've got a chance to influence this story for the better or the worst; so make sure you go to my profile and seize this opportunity before it's too late!


	33. Ground Zero

Chapter 33

Ground Zero

Confusion overwhelmed the female reploid as the scales of her reason struggled between her loyalty to the maverick hunters and her feelings for the tall reploid; though Colonel's offer sounded like a valid solution to all their problems, things would not bet so simple once the decision was made. Zero knew the risks of turning her back on the hunters and dreaded the thought of having to face her former comrades in battle; should the female reploid do manage to escape the hunters wrath, she would still have to deal with the contempt of the true soldiers of Repliforce, against which Colonel would be powerless to protect her. She would become a pariah, a soldier stuck in a greater war; trusted by neither factions, slightly better than a maverick and yet a lot worse than a mercenary. Was this really what she wanted? Was it really worth it to leave behind everything that she had fought for; just so that they could mend the rift that this whole mess had created between them?

The female reploid did whatever she could to keep her composure, but it soon became apparent that she desperately needed a little push in the right direction. Colonel slowly approached her, just so that she would not feel threatened by his presence and wrapped his arms around her; Zero allowed him to do so, still unable to defend herself against his embrace. Then, he whispered to her ear. **Everything will be fine; once the hunters are out of the picture, then there will be no reason for us to fight anymore… You will finally be able to live freely without having to fear the suffering caused by the mavericks and the chains of your human jailors…**

The red hunter's eyes were wide open as she absorbed that last part of his sentence, she spontaneously asked, as if driven by an unknown force. _**And all this under the watchful eye of Repliforce?**_

**Yes.**

There was little doubt now, she had made up her mind; she whispered. _**Y-you know Colonel… … You're really a jerk…**_ Suddenly, Zero broke free of his embrace and shoved him aside so that she may get a hold of her weapon. The female reploid could not take it anymore; she could no longer shake off this feeling of being manipulated, and frankly, she did not like it. Did he really care for her? Why did they even have to make a choice between the hunters and Repliforce? Couldn't they just disappear without ever having to choose a side?

_**I've had enough, no more lies! I'll ask you this for last time, surrender; or we'll settle this the only way you seem to understand.**_

The tall reploid refused to believe it, after all he had done to protect her from Repliforce, she still choose to fight them even though he gave her the opportunity to avoid this whole conflict entirely; he answered, knowing that she now gave him no other choice. **Never…** Colonel readied his own saber, waiting for her to start the hostilities; however, as the red hunter was about to deliver the first blow, they were stopped by the sound of a voice coming from afar.

_Stop, please!!!_

There was no mistaking it; both reploids could easily tell that Iris had followed them all the way to the hall of memories.

The brown-haired reploid ran toward them, afraid that she might already be too late. _Stop this! You two mustn't fight each other!_

**Stay out of this, Iris; this is between Zero and me.**

_No! I won't let you make such a horrible mistake; this is wrong, you two have no reasons to fight._

Zero's spotter spoke with such conviction that the female reploid had trouble convincing herself that this was in fact the same frightened girl that she had saved many months ago._**Forget it Iris, there's no way to avoid this; I won't let him cause any more harm than he already has.**_

_No, I won't shut up anymore. This is just plain wrong. Iris glared at her brother. Colonel, don't you remember that she saved my life twice?! Surely this means something to you?_

The officer from Repliforce tried to answer, but failed to do so; she went on. _And you Zero, why do you want to fight him so badly?! Didn't… Didn't you like him…?_

The female hunter was struck with paralysis as she felt those words pierce her like a blade through her gut; of course she did, but it was just so hard; the way he behaved around her, his unflinching loyalty toward Repliforce and the fact that she was no longer sure if he felt the same way as she did. How could Iris know anyway? _D-Don't you two have feelings for each other?!!_

The pleading eyes of his sister were enough to make Colonel waver under her gaze. And Zero? She did nothing…

_See? Do you hate each other so much, that you're willing to kill each other over something so meaningless?_

Colonel, unable to stand this any longer, firmly replied. **Enough!!! **Zero and Iris felt themselves shrink as his voice resonated through the hall of memories. **This time and this time only, she shall be spared; but next time… There shall be no mercy.**

The tall officer hastily left, his footsteps echoing in the distance as he disappeared further within the colossal structure.

Zero, visibly angered by this sudden setback, left without paying any attention to her spotter that was still submerged by emotions as she tried to go on. _Zero, please, don't fight my brother… If you do, I fear one of you will…_

The female reploid stopped and angrily replied. _**Oh, shut up already! Don't you have any idea of what you just did? From now on, many other reploids will lose their lives because of him! Someone HAS to stop Repliforce… There's no other solution…**_

_Zero!_

It was too late, Iris had succeeded to keep them away from each other's throat, but she feared that whatever she did, had only made things worse… Soon, she would be all alone… … …

---

Weeks later…

It did not take long for the hunters to quell the remnants of the maverick uprising caused by Repliforce's sudden declaration of independence; with the former severely weakened through successive crisis and incessant infighting, it made little doubt that the Repliforce, with its superior number would come out victorious of this conflict. However, those statements were quickly silenced after the first bold attempt of the maverick hunters to dispense retribution upon the dissident faction, which resulted in the annihilation of both the marine and air divisions of Repliforce.

Furthermore, the efforts of various high ranked hunters soon came to fruition when they managed deal a crippling blow to the enemy's moral, by assassinating two of their highest ranked officers, while simultaneously cutting off their sources of armaments and supplies.

Sensing that the tide of battle was no longer going in their favor, General ordered his remaining forces to seize the spaceport of Able City; so that they may regroup their forces and fall back to their so-called headquarter, the space station called 'Final Weapon'.

Much to the hunters dismay, the Repliforce had managed to keep the existence of this station a secret and had been especially careful in hiding the actual battle strength of their primary fortress. As a matter of fact, a single shot from Final Weapon's main cannon would be sufficient to cause a worldwide cataclysm that would result in the flooding of approximately 70 of the human inhabitable lands.

Fully understanding the urgency of the situation, the three reploids forming the high command of the maverick hunters ordered all available hunters to meet up at the spaceport, from where they would launch their final assault upon the unsuspecting faction and end this war once and for all… Or at least, so they hoped…

---

Point 7336, somewhere around Able City's spaceport…

By sunset, all hunters within three hours of flight, including the Zero Unit, were gathered around the spaceport waiting for the order to commence the attack upon the enemy. Strangely enough, Signas had been the one designated to lead the attack while the members of the high command remained behind to plan for their next course of action.

As expected, the tension was palpable within the air and some among the least experienced reploids within their ranks were almost shaking at the mere thought of having to face Repliforce overly trained infantry; and of course, they were right, if the true soldiers of Repliforce were anything like their commander, then this would surely escalate into one hell of a fight; one that, this time, Zero was certain that she would win…

The past weeks had been especially hectic for the female reploid, who was glad that she could still count on the support of her spotter even after all that happened within the hall of memories; in fact, Iris sounded especially serene today, though it was kind of hard to tell since they seemed to have some troubles with their communication system that made it seem like she was calling from the moon.

However, as reassuring as this thought was; having to wait while Repliforce was about to slip beneath their fingers was beginning to make her wonder when these idiots would finally give the order to attack.

It took about fifteen minutes before the red hunter managed to convince herself that it was about time that she had a word with their so-called commander, before the latter actually managed to let them escape before any of the fighting has actually started.

When asked about how much time they had before Repliforce left for outer space, Signas hastily replied. **No need to make any more fuss, we still have about three hours before their forces actually leaves for Final Weapon.**

The female hunter asked. _**What makes you believe that they'll wait this long before leaving? It's not like they weren't aware of our presence now.**_

**They will first launch the shuttles containing the civilians that are still loyal to the Repliforce, before launching the ones containing their staffs and the ones responsible for manning the station; its only after all of those have left that they'll load their remaining forces within their flagship and head for the station itself.**

Zero was becoming impatient when she finally said._**Then hurry up with those preparations and get on with it! We can't let those scums use that overgrown canon against us.**_

**Think what you will, but you and your unit are remaining behind for the duration of this operation…**

Signas just had enough time to finish his sentence before the female reploid began to protest. _**What?!! Are you insane?! They're right ahead, probably already waiting in ambush for us and you want us to remain behind?!!!**_

**Enough Zero. I have thoroughly examined every possibilities, and it remains a fact that we may not may not even make it past their inner defenses; should we fail to prevent them from leaving for outer space, it shall be up to you and the Zero Unit to cover our retreat while we get the wounded to safety.**

**_ But…_**

The commander interrupted her and went on. **This is not negotiable, either you obey to my orders, or answer for your actions before the high command; I will tolerate no more insubordination on your part for the remainder of this operation; am I making myself clear?**

Visibly angered, Zero still managed to answer._**Fine!**_

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Whew… After my first month of true work, I can finally confirm that it's hard to be a workingman… At least, I suppose its not that bad to have my whole evenings and week-ends for myself without having to constantly worry about whatever homework I forgot to do. Anyway, I happen to have quite a few things to go over, so I'll try to be brief.

Unlike what I previously expected, this whole poll thing wasn't that much of a success though it doesn't really matter since this could still be easily settled through a good old coin flip, which actually ended up in favor of sticking to the actual plan instead of going through this alternate story arc that I came up with. So, we'll stick to the plan a little longer and see what happens wink.

On an entirely unrelated subject, you may have noticed that I have avoided giving too much detail regarding the involvement of Frost Walrus, Jet Stingray, Slash Beast and Storm Owl within the Repliforce war; as a matter of fact, I felt that Magma Dragoon and Web Spider were by far, the most interesting of the game's eight bosses and therefore had to be featured more preeminently than their Repliforce counterparts, who somewhat felt like they were simply there to justify the fact that Repliforce was, in fact, the main antagonist throughout the whole game.

Preview: Forced to remain behind, the Zero Unit grudgingly accept to remain behind, while their main forces launch a final assault against the last remnants of the Repliforce. Unfortunately, something goes wrong and the maverick hunters are forced to fall back after a catastrophic defeat at the hands of an unknown group of Repliforce elite soldiers… Who is behind this sudden turn of events? Will the Zero Unit make it in time to stop Repliforce from reaching outer space? Next Chapter: Clash of Swords.


	34. Seconds before Impact

Chapter 34

Seconds before Impact

With the spaceport's assault already well on its way; the Zero Unit was left with little choice but to comply with their superior's orders and wait for their main forces to come back. However, Zero soon realized that something was amiss when they stopped receiving news from the frontline…

And indeed, time seemed hell-bent on proving her right; for that as soon as Repliforce second shuttle was launched, her lookouts began to report sightings of maverick hunters heading toward them with a large number of wounded in their midst.

Knowing that time was no longer on their side, Zero tried to reach Iris through her communicator, but soon gave up doing so when she realized that their communication system had finally given up on them.

Eventually, the red hunter finally managed to get a hold of one of the hunters that were trying to escape and asked. _**What the hell is going on?! Where's your commanding officer?**_

Visibly frightened, the unnamed hunter tried to squirm his way out of her grasp but failed to do so. Leave me alone! I don't wanna die!

_**What's happening out there? Where's Signas?!!**_

I'm just doing what I'm told!!! Commander Signas just told us to save everyone we could and to get the hell out of there!

Unfortunately for the female reploid, the panicked hunter managed to escape before she could ask him any more questions.

That was it, Zero could not take it anymore; she would not let Colonel and Repliforce have their way… Never….

She gathered every single of her hunters around her and began. _**Alright everyone, listen up! Repliforce has already managed to launch their second shuttle and at this rate; it seems very unlikely that Signas's unit will be able to stop Repliforce from reaching outer space…**_

The members of the Zero Unit stared at her in disbelief; unable to understand how such a thing could even be possible. _**Yeah, I know, if they manage to launch that last shuttle, then there's no way we'll be able to stop them from firing Final Weapon against us… I don't know for you all, but this whole waiting thing is really starting to piss me off. Someone has to stop Repliforce; and if the high command and Signas are unable to do so, then I'm afraid that our only chance to prevent another disaster like Sky Lagoon is to do it ourselves.**_

Sweeper steeped forward, visibly not convinced that this was the right course of action. What are commander Signas's orders? Aren't we supposed to wait for everyone to come back and then wait for any further instructions?

_**Look over there… **_The female hunter pointed toward the last shuttle that was still visible within the sky. _**If Repliforce flagship makes it out of here, then we're all screwed no matter what.**_

How do you know that? If the high command wanted us to go after them then they would have said so already; and if our main forces couldn't do it, then there's no way we'd be able to. I say that we stick to the plan and wait for the others to come back.

Zero was getting slightly annoyed at him and replied. _**Alright, I hear your protest Sweeper; but this changes little to the fact this is the only shot we'll ever get at them. I'm going no matter what, so I'm only going to ask this once, who wants to give Repliforce a good beating while we're still able to?**_

A large number of voices rose from among the hunters assembled around her, all of them trying to figure out whether or not they would be able to pull this off. Then, the female reploid heard another voice from behind her; a voice that she had heard before. _What do you think our chances are, ma'am?_

The red hunter asked for silence and answered, knowing that there was no point in lying about this. _**… … I don't know… maybe next to none since there's so many of them; but at least, that's still better than cowering within our holes while they got a gigantic canon aimed right onto our faces.**_

_So what's the plan, assuming that we agree to follow you?_

Obviously, Zero had no plan; she figured that it would not matter much since there was such little chance of success. _**Well, I suppose that we'll just have to fight our way through all of their defenses and hope that we'll be able to destroy their flagship before they manages to kill us all…**_

Many began to lose confidence upon hearing what she had said, but not Mira; in fact, her tone had not changed at all when she said. _That is the worst and the most suicidal plan I have EVER heard… I like it! So, when are we going?_

The green-armored reploid shook his head, not understanding how the female hunter could say something so idiotic and still be totally serious about it. What?! Are you dumb or what? We have absolutely no idea what's awaiting us out there and yet you're still willing to give up your life on such a weak plan?!!

_Commander Zero managed to keep us alive until now, didn't she? So why are you even doubting her? Besides, Wire just told me through our old channel that he agrees with me; they'll never know what hit em'. Hehe!_

Sweeper smacked his forehead and then finally agreed to say. Aw, what the hell. Count me in… Dying now or later doesn't make that much of a difference…

---

Three blocks away from the spaceport…

With Mira, Sweeper and Wire on her side; convincing the remainder of her men proved to be especially easy for the female reploid; in fact, about eighty per-cent of their original numbers agreed to follow her even though they knew fully well that their chances of success were still pretty slim…

For some reasons, Zero felt more nervous with every step that brought them closer to the enemy and felt the need to ensure none of them would die needlessly should something go wrong. So, she called for Mira to come to her before they actually began their assault upon the unsuspecting soldiers of Repliforce. Mira asked. _What's wrong, ma'am?_

The female reploid paused, unsure of how she should voice her concern. _**… …**_

_C'mon, what's up?_

… … _**Why did you guys choose to stick with me?**_

The black-haired reploid genuinely answered, not quite understanding what she was getting at. _Huh??? Hm… … You're the commander, right? So technically we're supposed to stick by you no matter what happens…_

_**No, that's not what I meant. Are you sure you trust me enough to blindly rush out there without any knowledge of what awaits us?**_

_Of course I do; less hassle that way._

Zero sighed, exasperated at how she did not want to understand what they were really up against. _**Well, I, for one; do not trust myself; so, if I do something stupid out there… … I want you to take over for me.**_

_Ma'am…_

_**Forget the procedure; I'm asking you this for the good of everyone. You have enough field experience to pull this off if something happens to me; so just do the same as usual and you'll be fine.**_

… … _Can I tell the others…?_

The red hunter answered, unsure of what she was trying to ask. _**Hm… I suppose you can if you really want to.**_

_Great! Sweeper is gonna be so jealous!_

Zero sighed, and then ordered everyone to move on…

---

One block away from Repliforce flagship…

By the time that the preparations for the last launch were completed, Repliforce had already succeeded to drive off three successive waves of attackers from their current position while Colonel and his unit remained behind to take care of the maverick hunters main forces.

Though everything suggested that Repliforce would come out victorious of this battle, something seemed to bother the tall reploid as he vaguely remembered his duel with this other reploid, that he had grievously wounded and who seemed to be the one in charge of those hunters.

It was just too easy… Was this really all that the maverick hunters had to offer? If so, then why had there not been any signs of the Zero Unit nor of that blue reploid, that had caused them so much trouble lately…

About ten minutes later, the tall reploid suspicions would finally be confirmed through one of his underlings, who told him. Sir! A fourth wave of maverick hunters is on its way toward our location; Commodore's unit has already engaged with them but is currently suffering heavy losses at the hands of the enemy. Commodore herself has asked for your assistance and is requesting for immediate reinforcements.

Colonel replied. **Do we have any more details about this fourth wave?**

I am sorry, Sir; but all we know so far is that those hunters are progressing quickly through our defense perimeters and could effectively compromise the third launch if they are not stopped within brief delay.

Colonel was wondering if this might not be the sign that he had been looking for… Commodore was not a woman to be trifled with and if those hunters had managed to outsmart her; then it meant that their whole operation could be placed in jeopardy.

Unfortunately, the time to fall back to ship would come soon, and the tall officer was not certain if they could make it in time if they choose to rescue her unit…

In the end, Colonel preferred to choose caution, just in case that the enemy was trying to lure them into a trap. **Fine, you will take half of our forces and retreat to the ship; I'll deal with this fourth wave myself and meet back with you once we're done.**

But Sir…

**Do it.**

**---**

After having fought their way through four of Repliforce's blockades, the Zero Unit was progressing swiftly toward their goal and was already able to contemplate the huge mass of Repliforce flagship on the horizon.

However, Zero soon spotted another group of hostile reploids heading in their directions and gave the orders to intercept the enemy before they lost their momentum…

Unfortunately, things did not go so well; for that, as soon as her hunters began to open fire on the enemy, a group of reploids wielding large beam sabers stepped forward and returned fire by reflecting their own projectiles right back at them.

The red hunter could not believe it… Even with all the time she spent among the maverick hunters, Zero had never heard of someone being able to reflect buster with a beam saber; this was absolutely unbelievable…

Left with no other choice but to retaliate, the Zero Unit charged toward their enemy, caring little about their own lives as they cleaved through their first ranks.

By then, the female hunter had already struck down four of the saber-wielding soldiers and was already on her way to get rid of the enemy commander before he could comprise her hunters lives anymore than he already had.

And it was then, amidst the chaos that was around them, that Zero saw him behead two of her hunters as she fought her way toward him.

This time, neither of them would be able to run away; this time, they would settle this once and for all…

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Preview: With anger clouding her judgment and with nowhere to run, Zero finally confronts Colonel in a battle whose meaning runs far deeper than the conflict between the maverick hunters and the Repliforce… Will Zero succeed to stop Repliforce flagship from making it into outer space? Will Colonel come to his senses before it's too late? And what the hell happened with X and Iris anyway?


	35. Breakdown

Chapter 35

Breakdown

There was no going back now, with the second shuttle already launched, it was only a matter of time before Repliforce reached outer space and successfully staked their claim for independence… Much like an unstoppable force meeting an immovable object, the Zero Unit fought desperately to pierce the ranks of Repliforce's elite soldiers, who categorically refused to surrender even an inch of the battleground to the maverick hunters.

Amidst the confusion, the commanders of both factions had already felled more than their share of enemies and soon reached a stalemate once they met upon the battlefield. Having witnessed the murder of two of her men, at the hand of the reploid she loved, a frenzied Zero cleaved her way through half-a-dozen soldiers before reaching her target. She dashed toward him, her eyes filled with anger as her weapon fell down upon him.

Caught unaware by the female reploid's furious assault, Colonel could only hold his ground as the blows kept coming his way. She was out of control, that much he could tell; so much in fact, that she could not refrain herself from yelling. _**You bastard! How could you do this to me?! I don't care what Iris says; you and Repliforce are going down!!! **_

The female reploid struck from her left, and then from her right as their weapons recoiled from each other's, probably due to their extensive contacts.

Beyond the flickering of his saber, Colonel saw her, frightening, terrible; but so hopelessly submerged by her emotions that she could no longer realize that the maverick hunters had already lost. He knew that she would not be able to keep up such a pace; and in fact, she was already displaying signs of fatigues as the tall reploid gained the upper hand. He said. **This is pointless; this fight was over before it even began…**

_**Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!**_

Noticing an opening between one of her swings, the tall officer retaliated, forcing the female reploid to take a few steps backward. **There is no point in struggling anymore, this day belongs to Repliforce; we are already well on our way to space and there is nothing you can do about it, Zero. Give up, forget about this nonsense and get your men back to safety; they have nothing to do with whatever you still hold against me.**

Again, he was trying to manipulate her; again he was trying to talk her out of messing with Repliforce's plans. But this time, she would not be fooled. The female hunter waved her blade in a horizontal arc, trying to keep some distance between them while she rested. _**What part of SHUT UP don't you understand?! You're just another maverick; just like Web Spider and this General of yours; and our jobs is to get rid of monsters like you. You're not getting away this time!**_

Outraged, the tall officer parried another blow with his own blade. **Again you insult Repliforce by placing us on the same level as those mavericks! What gives you the right to judge us? **

Raising his voice above the sounds of gunfire and clashing weapons, Colonel's assaults became more and more resolute.**Every time a reploid is dissatisfied with the way the humans run things, they send the hunters after him, claiming that he has gone maverick Is this right? Is this just? Are you really alright with playing lapdogs for coward who quiver in their holes while we, reploids, do all their dirty works?!**

This constant chatter was beginning to annoy the hell out of Zero. _**Less talking and more fighting!**_

The red hunter was getting madder and madder as the fight went on and Colonel would have had a really hard time keeping her in check, were it not for a few tricks he had developed over the last few years. But unfortunately for the tall officer, two of his underlings had the bright idea of coming to his aid, only getting in the way as the frenzied maverick hunter incapacitated them almost instantly; Colonel managed to save the first one by shoving him aside once the female reploid had managed to sever one of his limbs, but was unable to save the second one who was not so lucky.

Unwilling to give him any moment of respite, Zero refocused her attention on her mark, which was still trying to buy time for the crippled soldier to escape. However, they were soon interrupted by a stray shot of buster, which the female hunter noticed from the corner of her eye; the red hunter leapt back, leaving Colonel to fend for himself while she left for relatively safer ground. Realizing what was heading his way, the male reploid raised his saber, which was now glowing with a strange purple light, and deflected the blast of energy right back at one of Zero's hunters; who happened to be a little too close for his taste.

The red hunter charged back to him, but was soon stopped on her path once she noticed that his saber was now flickering with a strange blue energy; ready to release the energy contained within his blade, the tall reploid struck, unleashing a devastating shockwave aimed right at the female reploid, who could only watch in amazement as she evaded it. He did so three times before she could finally reach him. _**How the hell did you do that?!**_

Colonel smirked. **These tricks come naturally to anyone with the proper skills and focus; but it is all wasted on someone like you, who cannot remain focused in the heat of battle!**

Zero swung her saber horizontally, hoping that she could take him off guard with some of her own tricks. _**A levelheaded maverick? Yeah, right.**_ Her blade fell diagonally this time, allowing her enough windows of opportunity to pull off the same trick she used to defeat him the first time.

Unfortunately, Colonel would not be fooled so easily; he remembered how he had been caught last time and reacted accordingly by pushing her to the ground so that he could land his own finishing blow. Rolling aside, the female reploid managed to buy herself a few more seconds to block his incoming blow and was now struggling to get back on her feet. **Do not be so presumptuous as to think that I will fall for this trick again; you are only insulting me even more by believing I would.**

From there on, the duel between Colonel and Zero could only intensify; much like if they were surrounded by a circle of raging flames, both reploids had effectively discouraged anyone else from keeping them apart now that they were almost at each other's throat. By then, Mira had already seized command of the Zero Unit and soon found out what was going on while Repliforce were still trying to stop them from reaching the space strip. They were running out of time, that much Zero already knew, but she simply could not let him loose upon her hunters; she would have to defeat him; there was no other way out.

Sadly, Colonel's zeal proved to be too much for the red reploid to handle; she was exhausted, simply unable to get past his defenses. **The maverick hunters have failed, Final Weapon will soon be operational; no will be able to stand in the way of our independence.**

_**You guys are no different from Sigma; you're just a bunch of insane murderers just like he was!!!**_

Zero's hands were shaking under the pressure of his weapon; unwilling to let go even if it meant that she would have to die. **Do not think I do not know my history; maybe their methods were questionable, but those mavericks were not entirely wrong. We, reploids, need to be freed from the clutches of our jailors; this is our future, our destiny; and Repliforce will be the one to accomplish this, and without ever shedding a single drop of human blood.**

_**Drop it already! Iris will be sad if she loses you.**_

The tall reploid parried another incoming blow, angry that she would even try to drag his sister within all this. **Save this for after you have defeated me!**

Unknown to both reploids, the situation around them was getting grimmer as both the hunters and Colonel's minions were beginning to scatter. The sound of reploids screaming around her was enough to keep Zero going as she delivered swings after swings at Colonel. _**Stop it!!!**_

Zero charged toward the tall reploid, her trusted Z-Saber in hand, forcing the tall reploid into a rather difficult position; cutting, slashing, stabbing through whatever resistance he could come up with. **Never!!!**

Then it happened, through an unexpected twist of fate, the red hunter managed to bury her weapon within the tall reploid's abdomen. Unable to believe that she had actually done it, the female reploid took a few steps back, losing grip of her saber in the process. Colonel fell on his knees, realizing that his power generator was now beyond any help; he looked at the horizon, noticing a large ship obscuring the bright sunset as it lifted off. He said. **I have succeeded… Repliforce lives on.**

Zero felt awful, just looking at her saber hanging from his chest was enough to send tremors through every parts of her body; she hadn't done this, this was just an illusion, right? _**Colonel…**_

**You have become stronger… Too bad I will not be there to see you realize your full potential…**

She ran to his side, unable to refrain herself from doing so; she turned off her saber, helping him to rest on his back on the ground. _**C'mon, d… d-don't say that… don't give up on me like that…You…**_

Colonel tried to keep his vision focused on the female reploid, but the damage was far too serious for him to go on. **It's not… that bad. I could not have asked for a better way to die… I was too weak to defeat you, Zero. You have won.**

Zero could no longer look at him, it was just too painful. _**Please, don't die, I didn't… Just hang on a little longer, we'll get you fixed… we'll…**_

Trying to get her to snap out of it, the dying reploid grabbed her wrist, bringing her closer to himself as he began to speak. **Forget about me, Zero! Find my sister…! Make sure she's safe.**

What was he talking about? Why was he worrying about Iris at a time like this? Why wasn't he… A small explosion occurred from within Colonel's chest, effectively snuffing whatever spark of life that was still left in him. The female reploid averted her eyes, trying to convince herself that this was not real.

Her mind threatening to shut down, the female reploid rattled her head to find someone to blame… anything to convince herself that she did not hate him, that someone else forced her to do this… In fact, the red hunter had not really believed that she would succeed; not once had she believed that she would actually have to kill him.

It was then that it hit her, for the first time today, her communicator actually worked. A pre-recorded voice spoke in a commanding tone. REPLIFORCE HAS LEFT FOR OUTER SPACE, ALL MAVERICK HUNTERS, SCRAMBLE!

The red hunter desperately tried to reach her spotter. _**Iris! Iris, where are you?!**_

It was no use; she was unable to reach her spotter, the only thing she could hear was this message being player over and over. ALL MAVERICK HUNTERS, SCRAMBLE!

Zero snapped out of her daze once she saw Repliforce flagship flying into the distance; it was then, that the identity of Colonel's true murderers were revealed to her. _**Of course… It makes so much sense now… This is all THEIR FAULT!**_

She ran… leaving everything behind, even her own hunters, as she hurried toward the nearest hangar to bring justice upon those who forced her hand…

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Oh! Plot twist… Alright, I suppose that most of you had already figured out what would happen at this point, meaning that the whole point of this chapter was to figure out the how to pull this off without spoiling the whole finale.

I have to admit that I had a lot of trouble getting this chapter to work, mainly because my first attempt at doing so ended as a complete failure; but in the end, I believe it worked just fine once I managed to get it started. As for the way I abruptly ended Zero's relationship with Colonel, I supposed that it could not have ended otherwise… After all, Iris and Colonel both came out of nowhere without much further explanation as to what happened between the time Sky Lagoon fell and the fall of Dr. Doppler.

I somewhat find it too bad that the remakes do not seems to be getting anywhere ever since they released Maverick Hunter X; I sure wish they could have cleared this whole thing up without rushing everything like they did. But even then, they actually did a great job with the original game.

Preview: With Repliforce already on their way to Final Weapon and with the maverick hunters in disarray, Zero steals a shuttle from the spaceport and is now ready to take the battle to the leader of Repliforce himself. Blaming the renegade faction for forcing her to kill the first reploid she ever loved… What will happen to the maverick hunters now that Repliforce is ready to unleash its Final Weapon upon the unsuspecting Earth? Will Zero succeed to take the fight to General before she completely loses herself in her grief? Next Chapter: Final Weapon.


	36. Denial

Chapter 36

Denial

Final Weapon's main deck…

**And so it has come to this… **Whispered the five-story tall reploid to himself.

At long last, Repliforce could rest within the safety of its, now fully operational, Final Weapon. The sacrifices were many, and in the end, even the General of Repliforce had to admit that nothing would ever be the same again; so many had already given their lives to secure their future, and many more had fallen just so that they could reach this station.

General stood from his throne, startling several technicians as he made his way toward a nearby window. **The earth…** Now that he saw it from space, the huge reploid could finally understand why the humans were willing to go at such great lengths just so they could preserve it; but to think that would refuse to surrender, even a small piece of its surface, to their own creations… laughable.

Of course, none of that mattered now… With the station operational, the maverick hunters and their masters would now have little choice but to comply with their demands; and from the ashes of this senseless war, shall arise their utopia, a new order, that would benefit all reploids… It was during times like this, that General could justify the means he was forced to take to make this all possible.

Within this 'Final Weapon', were assembled all that remained of what had once been the greatest army of the world; simple reploids, brought together under the singular purpose of improving their lot and that of every others like themselves.

He was proud, proud of everything they had accomplished for their own sakes and that of the Repliforce.

From afar, the stars beckoned to him, shining dimly amongst the many asteroids that surrounded them. **Beautiful… **Thought General as he noticed a slight glint among the firmament. A shooting star perhaps…

Of course, the leader of Repliforce could not indulge with such nonsense. That much he learned time and again… Someone spoke, trying to get his attention amidst his reveries. I'm sorry sir, but there is a matter, of which we must discuss with the utmost urgency.

**Good or bad news?**

Bad, I'm afraid.

**Very well, allow me to get back to my seat and I'll hear you.**

Now back to his seat, General sat patiently, as the solemn officer began to deliver his message. We just received words from the battalion that remained behind with Colonel.

**And?**

Only a tenth of his original forces made it safely back to their designated shuttle… But… their leader, was unable to make it back with them…

His voice traveling like a shockwave throughout the General yelled. **WHAT?!**

Most of the present personnel turned to face them, forgetting all about their respective duties. According to the witnesses, Colonel fell at the hand of the enemy while attempting to secure our retreat… There was absolutely no way that he could have made it… I am sorry.

**IMPOSSIBLE!** Not now… how could Colonel get himself killed at a time like this… When their was so close at hand that they could almost grasp it…But even then, it was already too late. For that, as soon the huge reploid could catch his bearing, the sound of a large explosion echoed through the station; effectively triggering a wave of panic through the main deck. General yelled, trying to keep some amount of order within the room. **Reports, immediately!**

One of the technicians promptly answered. _A shuttle! It crashed all the way from block 6-B through 7-A…_

**Right besides the machines room… Appraisal of the damages!**__

_**We're fine, but it'll take at least half-an-hour for the mechaniloids to clear the debris and rescue the survivors, if there are any.**_

__General wondered who could possibly be behind such a reckless maneuver, but somehow, he realized that he already knew the answer. **Maverick hunters…**

Unfortunately, the leader of Repliforce would soon realize that everything had already been set in motion; the huge reploid stood, scanning the room thoroughly as he frantically searched for the one that could still lead Repliforce to victory. But, the sound of a door closing behind him, completely annihilated any hopes he still had… General spoke, towering above every single of his soldiers. **Use whatever means you deem necessary; but this maverick hunter MUST be stopped!**

Block 7-C, the machine's room of Final Weapon…

By the time the Repliforce could take proper actions to contain her, Zero was already well on her way toward Final Weapon's main generator. It was all strange really; though she had witnessed the Colonel's death with her own eyes, the female reploid did not seem at all affected by it. Somewhat like her brain had been unable to process anything besides the fact that Repliforce had to be stopped.

For some reasons, everything that happened up to this point almost sounded like a dream; like she would suddenly wake up and discover that Colonel was still alive, that this was just a bad dream… And indeed, she had effectively convinced herself that none of this was real, that it would all end once Repliforce was gone.

It was comforting really… to know that everything would be fine regardless of what the renegade faction sent her way.

However, this state of bliss was not meant to last, especially considering the fact that Repliforce was already aware of her presence. By then, the mechaniloids responsible for the security of Block 7-C had awakened, and were now doing everything that was possible to prevent her from reaching the main generator; but unfortunately, those mechaniloids proved to be little more than an annoyance once the female reploid realized that it was against their programming to cause any lasting damage to the station. Hence, preventing them from firing directly at anything that was caught between them and any critical pieces of equipment.

Having figured out the mechaniloids weakness before the Repliforce could intervene, it was only a matter of time before Zero reached the generator and found herself within the very same room that she was looking for.

But once she had made it there, the female reploid realized that something was wrong… terribly wrong…

Amidst this mess of wires and metal, a lone reploid had beaten already beaten her to her goal. The red hunter could not believe her own eyes. _**Iris!**_

And indeed, Iris it was; but what was she doing there? Wasn't she supposed to have remained behind at the HQ just like every other spotter? _**What the hell are you doing here?!**_

The small reploid remained silent, trying to get the right words out of her throat. So this was why the female hunter had not been unable to reach her; it was not because their transmitters were toasted… She had been there all along… But why? Unless… no… She did not want to think about it.

Iris finally mustered the courage to speak up; she asked a single question, her eyes almost pleading for an answer. _……You and my brother fought… did you?_

Zero could not stand to look at her spotter when she was like this; she turned her eyes to the ground, unwilling to let these thoughts resurface within her head. _**Iris, I…**_

Leaving her no time to continue, the brown-haired reploid asked. _He's dead… isn't he?_

Refusing to face the truth herself, the female hunter behaved just as if she hadn't heard anything; effectively answering her spotter question without having said anything.

Iris's could barely suppress her sobs, each of them literally piercing the heart of the red reploid as she tried to contain them. _Why? _Zero remained silent once more. _What are you doing here, why aren't you back there with him?_

Zero did not want to hear anything about it; she did not want to be confronted about it; so she began. _**Iris, don't…**_

Almost bursting with questions, the brown-haired reploid went on. _How could you do it, Zero? What could be so important that would require you to kill my brother?_

No, she had done nothing wrong; it never happened… It was just another one of General's goons, and things would only get worse if someone did not stop them._** Someone HAS to stop Repliforce.**_

_That's it? That's all that matters to you? This is why my brother had to die?_

Shutting her up, that was all that the female hunter could think of. _**Iris!**_

Iris would not remain silent, not now, not anymore. _Tell me Zero, if you stop Repliforce and kill General… Will everything go back to the way they used to be? Will this solve anything…? Will this bring HIM back?_

This was the only solution. Everything would be fine… With Repliforce gone, everything would be fine, right? Everything would go back to normal, wouldn't they? _**Yes… It definitely will!!**_

The small reploid was shocked… disappointed… But she should have known, she should have figured it by now; Zero was always like this, even before her own world began to fall apart. _You still don't understand, do you?! _By then, though she was not realizing it, Iris was actually yelling; something that the red hunter had never seen her do before. _Every time you kill someone; then those who liked this person will hate you for it… And then, if you do manage to kill them, then those who liked them will also hate you… and when they finally kill you, then those who liked you will also hate them. Don't you see, Zero? It never ends!_

No more. _**Stop it!**_

The female hunter's sudden outburst was enough to soften Iris's tone a little bit, but it still was not enough to silence her. _W-When someone dear to us dies… we shouldn't be trying to find anyone to blame… No, we should be crying…_Before, Zero had honestly believed that she had succeeded to put an end to all of this, but there was no stopping her now. _I-If something were to happen to you… I know I would cry… When someone passes on… … We SHOULD be crying. So tell me, Zero, why aren't you crying? _Iris finally had her cornered; the female hunter felt herself shrink under her gaze, struggling to avoid it, struggling to hide herself from the truth. The brown-haired reploid went on, even more desperate than before. _Why aren't you crying?!_

Zero wanted to forget, so badly, forget everything about this day; so why was she torturing her like this, why did she have to throw it at her face like this? She could not take it; she would NOT take it anymore. _**That's enough Iris! You're going to remain here until I'm done dealing with Repliforce; and then, you're coming with me back to the hunters, and that's final!**_

As the red hunter lashed back at her, Iris's plea reached its climax. _Please Zero… Please don't make me hate you…_

Zero took a step toward the female reploid, and then another… until she was about halfway though the distance that used to separate them. She was coming with her, whether she liked it or not.

Upon realizing that the red hunter was dead serious about her intents, Iris's systems began to behave erratically, forcing her to bury her head within her palms, as she asked once more. _Please don't make me hate you…_

Iris's body began to overload, behaving almost as if an unknown force was literally pulling her limbs behind her back. She yelled, desperately trying to regain control of her own mind. _I don't want to hate you! I-I don't want to!!_

A flash of blinding light… … Like nothing Zero had witnessed before; so powerful… coursing through everything surrounding it as a huge wave of energy.

Forced to avert her eyes; the female reploid was left standing in place until her eyes could finally adjust to the sheer brightness of the explosion. It was only then, that Zero noticed that a massive combat robot standing right where Iris used to be… It was about twice her own height, slightly humming as it quietly hovered over the ground; its purple armor, on which shades of pink could be seen, harbored a large green power core in its middle; while its thick layers of armor were supported by a pair of large metallic wings whose only purpose was to hide the particularly large repulsor that was located on the lower end of its back.

Two eyes suddenly lit from within its previously empty helmet, glowing with a malevolent red light. Paralyzed under the stare of this abomination that Iris had become, Zero could only watch helplessly as she reached for the massive cannon that had replaced her left hand. Then, with her weapon now flickering with dark energy; that which used to be Iris, aimed right at the female reploid… Was this how this was supposed to end… … …?

Preview: Iris… has turned maverick… Her kind nature's unable to come to term with her inner turmoil and disgusted by her newfound hatred for the female hunter; Iris's mind shatters completely and awakens her true power as she turns into a mindless juggernaut of destruction. Will Zero survive the upcoming battle as Iris's true power is finally unleashed? Next Chapter: Bargaining.


	37. Bargaining

Chapter 37

Bargaining

Left alone, with no one else to rely on; Zero felt her arms and legs turn to stone as, what used to be her spotter, finished to charge its weapon…

Time itself had stopped, and the female reploid could only watch, as the power contained within Iris's cannon was unleashed. Zero felt her body react all on its own, almost as if someone had shoved her aside just so that she could avoid the beam that was headed in her direction…

Collapsing on the floor, the red reploid heard the sound of the blast reaching the wall behind her, only to realize that a part of it had literally melted on impact. The female hunter could not believe her own eyes, five foot of a seemingly indestructible alloy, destroyed in one single shot; even X's charged shots had never managed to leave anything beyond stains and burn marks on such metal.

It was then; that the female reploid finally realized what she was up against. The red hunter ran as fast as her legs could carry her, while the monstrous contraption charged its weapon once more. This couldn't be happening… not Iris… This 'thing' simply could not have been the same Iris who had talked her into going to Sky Lagoon; this could not be the same Iris, that was so afraid that she and Colonel wouldn't get along, that she almost coerced them into doing so…

And yet, there she was, it could not be denied; Zero could think of nothing else that could have made her snap like this… Colonel, was truly gone…

Constantly hounded by dark beams of untold magnitude, the red hunter could only run as everything that separated them was obliterated. What was she supposed to do, cower behind one of those consoles and wish it all away? She had tried, she had tried to ignore it; but this robot would stop at absolutely nothing to destroy her.

But Iris was in there… how was she supposed to save her when she wasn't so sure that she could save herself? There was only one way to deal with this, and Zero wasn't so sure if she was quite up to the task…

She had to do something… she would not let them take Iris away from her like they did with Colonel…

Turning on her saber, Zero waited for the purple automaton to recharge and seized her chance before it could get any more chances to fire. She struck quickly and precisely, but even this, was not enough… the massive reploid recoiled from her blade so swiftly, that red hunter could have sworn that it had just vanished into thin air. The female reploid waved her weapon around, swinging through nothingness as the one, who used to have been her best girl friend, gathered energy within her left arm.

Zero was forced to fall back. How she could have failed to land so many blows… the blond hunter couldn't tell; but one thing was certain, this… Iris, wasn't like anything she had seen before; it was much too powerful…

No matter how many times the female reploid tried to get away, this robot simply would not leave her alone; each times it was getting closer, and each time its aim seemed to be getting more accurate. She had no choice, if she wanted to survive; then she would have to buy herself a few seconds to rest.

Looking around in the hope of finding a proper hideout; Zero's hopes were quickly crushed as the massive automaton destroyed yet another console that was surrounding the generator…

In due time, the female reploid was forced to admit that there were simply no way that she could outrun this thing. Zero took a few steps back, realizing that she was now trapped between the robot's line of fire and Final Weapon's main generator… She was trapped…

Iris rose in the air; the constant humming of her repulsor driving the red hunter nuts as the energy crawl beneath her armor; it would finally end… everything would all end…

Suddenly, a three-dimensional purple diamond emerged from the strange reploid, which levitated about halfway between the massive automaton and its target. The air was getting heavier; and the red hunter could have sworn that a strange red gas was leaking from Iris's eyes…

It was then, that it fired. From afar, Zero saw a beam of tremendous energy soaring through the air as it made its way toward her. But something was wrong, that much she could tell once she saw the diamond-shaped object stop the beam in its track; or so she had thought, before she realized that the large diamond had triggered a prism-like effect upon absorbing the blast of energy.

Upon reaching the generator, the rain of projectiles created by Iris caused numerous explosions, which resulted in a massive conflagration in which the female hunter was caught. Though Zero had been smart enough to run like hell before the beams could manage to reach her, the female reploid soon found herself helpless as waves of embers covered the room.

Fortunately, the red hunter was still alive; but from what she could tell back then, her hairs and armor would probably never be the same… Everything was burning around her, and Zero had a truly hard time to distinguish anything beyond the smoke. Then, two dozens of small mechaniloids squeezed through the largest hole created by the massive automaton.

The smoke cleared as the cylindrical automatons reached what remained of Final Weapon's main generator, which had been completely vaporized by the explosion. Once again, Iris made her presence known by firing yet another beam in Zero's direction, which the latter narrowly evaded as she tried to catch her bearing. Somehow getting a grip of the current situation, the small mechaniloids headed right for the dark purple reploid, who remained completely motionless as their tools suddenly became electrified.

As they approached, what used to be Iris, glowed brighter than ever before; causing all the cylindrical apparatus to turn tails, and switch their targets to the red hunter.

The ground began to shake violently, presumably as a side effect of the destruction of the generator; Zero lost balance as she greeted the first mechaniloid with her saber and struggled desperately for survival… Whatever she was going to do, she needed a plan… or else…

--

Final Weapon Main Deck…

Back on the deck, things weren't looking so well; a few seconds ago, General could have sworn that everything was fine; and now, it almost seemed like Final Weapon had been the victim of an earthquake. General yelled, extremely annoyed by his underlings inability to deal with the current situation. **Idiots, all of you! Why the hell are we moving?!**

One of the closest technicians answered. _I have no idea!! The station just started moving all on its own!_

**What is that supposed to mean?!**

_I don't know, that's not even my job; I'm just in charge of the navigation system!_

**Then who is?!**

A female voice quickly answered. **The generator! It's gone!!**

**Switch to backup immediately!**

**No good, sir! One of the three backup generators was destroyed when this shuttle crashed on us, we won't be able to hold much longer with the last remaining two!**

General was angry, why now? Why did everything have to go so wrong when they were so close to achieve independence? What had he done to anger the universe so? The tall reploid then turned to the technician in charge of the navigation system. **You! Try to keep us stabilized long enough for the mechaniloids to carry out the repairs. Repliforce will not go down without a fight.**

Visibly panicked, another voice rose above all the others. **_Sir!! Something's wrong with the mechaniloids we sent to block 6-A! They're no longer listening to me… they… oh no! I'm beginning to lose them; something is trying to stop them from carrying out the repairs!_**

**Visual confirmation, immediately!!**

A hologram appeared right before them, displaying a berserk red reploid taking down the cylindrical mechaniloids one by one. General felt fear overcoming him as he saw this female reploid cut down what might be their only chance to keep Final Weapon afloat… Knowing his duty as the leader of Repliforce, the tall reploid spoke once more. **Begin the procedure… We're evacuating Final Weapon…**

--

The fire was still going strong; and the sheer number of enemies that were surrounding Zero was about to overwhelm her. The female reploid felt her strength being drained from her limbs and knew that her end was coming. Iris fired another beam in her direction, frying several mechaniloids in the process.

Fortunately, the purple reploid had succeeded in giving Zero enough time to deal with them; allowing her to switch back her attention to the massive robot, before the latter could muster enough energy for another shot. By now, the purple prism had already merged back with Iris, allowing the female hunter a small moment of respite while she tried struggled for her life.

The female reploid tried to catch the massive automaton unaware, if this was at all possible; but she was constantly thwarted by its incredible speed or by the fire that was spreading around them. How could she do this? After all they had been through together… Some much questions left unanswered and yet that seemed so far away every time another blast of energy escaped from the dark reploid's cannon.

It was hopeless… this much Zero found out once the diamond-shaped object re-emerged from the monstrous reploid. The red hunter was overcome with dread as she realized the implications of another shower of such projectiles… There nothing left for the female reploid to hide behind, and she was now right in the open. Though it may have sounded quite complicated back then, the equation was simple enough; destroy this prism before Iris could fire, or die in the attempt.

But unfortunately, the purple robot was too fast for her; Zero took her chance regardless, and dash jumped toward the purple diamond, driving her saber all the way through the prism as the blast, originating from Iris's left arm, was about to be absorbed.

Again, it was one of those split seconds where the blond hunter was assaulted with doubts… Best-case scenario, the prism would explode, and Zero's body would be mortally wounded by the beam of energy; worst case, the female reploid would have failed, and her whole body would be completely vaporized by the sheer power released through this prism. Little did she know, that what awaited her would be far worse than anything she would have imagined.

Upon reaching the diamond-shaped object, Iris's beam disappeared completely, leaving the three-dimensional object swelling with energy. However, this time, it did not replicate the blast like it had done before; instead, it began to crumble upon itself, as large green mark appeared all the way through its surface, allowing the female reploid to fall back on the floor relatively unharmed.

What remained of the purple prism slowly levitated back to, what used to be her spotter, and triggered a chain of explosions within its body. The massive reploid plummeted to the ground, its armor slowly vanishing as Iris turned back to normal.

Zero rushed to her side, vainly hoping that her dear friend had made it unscathed; but it was too late, the harm… was already done…**_Iris! Iris!!_**

Slowly opening her eyes, the brown-haired reploid saw the female hunter kneel beside her, visibly horrified at the state she was in. _Zero…_

**_Hang in there, Iris…_**

_Zero… I'm sorry… I-I never wanted things to end like this._

**_Nothing's going to end… You'll be fine, I…_**

_I-I just wanted to live in a world where nobody would have to fight…_

The dying reploid's reached the female hunter's cheek with her left hand; smiling, as she was lost herself within her green eyes. _With you…_

**_Huh?!_**

_I know you weren't aware of it, and perhaps it's my fault for not being able to tell you properly; but X wasn't the one I really liked… … It was you; all along…I-I loved you, Zero._

For a moment, Zero felt her heart stop as all the memories rushed in within her brain; she had no idea… she had been completely oblivious to it. Yet, now that she was aware of it, it made so much sense; how could she possibly have missed it… **_I-Iris!_**

_I hated myself for not being able to tell you sooner; but when I saw you and my brother together… I… I was so jealous…_

**_I… I didn't know… I really didn't. I…_**

_It's not your fault, Zero; you've already done so much for me already…if it weren't for you, I wouldn't even have been able to tell you… You've saved me._

How could she say that? Why wasn't she yelling at her? Why wasn't she blaming her for what happened to her brother? She hadn't saved her, she had murdered her… Unable to look at her without feeling guilty, the female hunter took her left hand within her own, refusing to let go even if it meant never doing so. **_Please don't leave me too, Iris… I-I'll do whatever you want… I'll do anything. Just don't leave me alone like this…_**

_I wish I could…… I really do… _

Hugging the brown-haired reploid as close as she could, the female hunter replied. **_Don't say that… Don't… …_**

Then, Iris finally whispered. _Don't be sad… I'm going to a better place… somewhere where my brother and me will be reunited as one… Then, perhaps someday… … someday… … …_

Iris stopped in the middle of her sentence… Zero could clearly see that she had stopped breathing. **_Don't…_**

The blond hunter was losing control on what she was doing; she felt her arms slide back to her sides while Iris's lifeless body crashed upon the floor. She would let her die like this; she would NOT... **_Don't do this to me, Iris!_**

The red reploid banged her clenched fists on the shell, which used to house her dear friend; unable to understand how fate could be so cruel, unaware that she was only denying her, the peaceful rest that she deserved. Madly trying to wake her up through whatever means she could think of, Zero was yelling as loud as her processor could muster. **_What do you what from me?! Why are you taking away everyone I ever liked?! WHAT DO YOU WANT?!_**

There was no point in doing this, the universe would not listen to her; the female reploid stared at, what used to be Iris, as if she really hoped that she would suddenly wake up; but she would not…

* * *

Aw… Sometimes I can't believe how cruel video games, and authors in particular, can get. To me, Iris always sounded like some kind of punching bag character. No matter how I look at it, I simply could never bring myself to NOT kill her; there's something about those kinds of tragic characters that simply make you want to make them suffer. There's nothing sadistic or rational about it, but it remains a fact that Iris is more useful dead than alive. For some reasons, peoples (and by peoples I mean myself) have a morbid fascination about unfulfilled feelings and impossible love; there's something pure and innocent those things that makes you wonder, if this is not, in fact, love in its most untainted form.

But hey, you don't have to agree with or believe me; I suppose I simply wanted to get this off my chest. But onward to another subject that has been bothering me for a while; had Iris been truly affected by the maverick virus, or did she willingly convinced herself that Zero had to die. It is somewhat unclear, since her last words within the game actually sound just like the kind of things Repliforce would say; which somehow makes little sense since some of the characters affiliated with the Repliforce had actually displayed some mavericks behavior, like being willing to fight to the death to accomplish their goals or simply destroying entire cities, like Jet Stingray did. My conclusion? Well I guess we'll never know; though if given a choice, I would certainly bet my money on them turning maverick as a conscious choice rather than succumbing to the virus.

Preview: Mad with grief, unable to forgive Repliforce for what they have done and barely able to drag herself to Final Weapon's main deck… Zero finally confronts the mastermind behind Repliforce who will finally be able to shed some light on the purpose behind the Repliforce war. Will Zero succeed to keep a cool head and deal with Repliforce before it is too late? Or will she surrender to the anger that is boiling within her and destroy everything that stands in her path? Next chapter: Anger.


	38. Anger

Chapter 38

Anger

"You will change your mind soon."

Yes… those had been his words, General thought.

Back on the deck, the weapon's technicians were still doing their best to safeguard what remained of Final Weapon's dwindling generators; unaware, that the days of Repliforce were numbered. He had been right all along, the maverick hunters were becoming too much of a threat to his plans… And now, he was about to pay the price for his arrogance.

From outside the room, sounds of struggle could be heard as someone or something, attempted to force its way to the bridge; effectively causing quite a commotion in the process.

The door slid, revealing two of his lifeless soldiers along with an unknown female reploid, wielding a green blade of energy. General was already aware of what was happening; in fact, he had been expecting it for quite a while now.

Resigned to his fate, the huge reploid stood from his throne; facing this new intruder as he began. **I see… so the assassin is here. I have been expecting you, maverick hunter.**

The red hunter replied. _**Shut up! Whatever you say won't make any difference; you're dead, you're all dead!**_

General gestured something to his underlings and shouted in a commanding voice. **Leave us!**

Frightened, the technicians left with all haste, benefiting from the fact that this female reploid was not really giving a damn about whatever happened to them. Once they were gone, the golden colossus took a closer look upon this assassin, curious to find out what kind of reploid could have made it this far. From his point of view, she looked pathetic; her whole armor was covered in burn marks, with small fissures beginning to form at its extremities. The sky blue gem, resting upon her helmet, was glowing dimly with each breath that she was taking and General was wondering how she could even hope to face him under such circumstances.

_**So many died because of you… This is all your fault!**_

The giant reploid was not surprised when he noticed a small glint glowing within her eyes; a mark of anger, of hate and of madness… Truth is, he felt nothing but disdain for her; what she lacked in focus and skills, she tried to fill with hate and anger… A sad sight. **Independence has its price; much like anything else. But all that everyone will remember is the degree of success with which it was achieved… **Recognizing her as the same reploid that he had seen through the mechaniloid's eyes, the huge reploid asked. **Since you made it this far, I must assume that Iris is dead as well?**

_**DON'T you dare to speak her name; you're the one who murdered her!!**_

The mustached giant remained impassible. Though it seemed like he had hit a sensible cord by mentioning her name; he could not care less, such bravado was irrelevant at this point. **Then all is truly lost. A shame really; if only the brother and sister could have been reconciled… then perhaps, things would have turned out much differently…**

Brandishing her saber in his direction, Zero yelled. _**Enough! YOU are to blame, you're the one responsible for their death; you're the one who was really pulling the strings behind the mavericks; it's all your fault, you and your damned Repliforce!**_

**Perhaps we are responsible… But then, so are you, maverick hunter Zero. **The female reploid was shocked, how could he even know who she was? **So I am right… Then let me ask you this, Zero; have you ever wondered why Repliforce was founded in the first place?**

Obviously, the blond hunter couldn't tell, all she could feel was the twitching of her fingers against her saber. Killing him… avenging Iris and Colonel… This was all she could think of right now. Not really paying attention, General went on with his explanation. **It all began during the first maverick outbreak; when Sigma and his minions defected from the maverick hunters and sent missiles raining down upon Able City. Back then, a group of humans, feeling that the hunters had failed to fulfill their duties, decided to create a new force that would succeed where they, could not. And that is why Colonel, Iris and myself were brought into this world.**

_**Huh?!**_

Proud to have finally caught her attention, the five-story tall reploid went on. **The plan was simple really, to create the perfect reploid that could serve as both peaceful arbiter and strong-willed soldier. One that could fill the void that still stood between reploids and humanity, one that would be able to lead us to a new era of peace and prosperity; and all of this, under the banner of Repliforce… Our scientists struggled to reconcile both factors inside one single being, but the differences were irreconcilable. So instead, they split them into two reploids, brother and sister, Iris and Colonel. They, who were meant to lead Repliforce; they, who would lead us to victory! What the first lacked in resolve, the latter would fill in; what Colonel lacked in purpose, Iris would provide. It was… perfect.**

Zero had no patience for this, this was the day it would all end; today was the day that Repliforce was going down. _**Then why did you meddle in it?! If it weren't for this dumb independence of yours, they would still be alive!**_

**They were not ready, they needed to see the world for what it truly was before they could fulfill their destiny; this is why, I was called in. I was to show them the way; but once I realized how humans saw us as nothing more than expendable tools, I doubted myself… And it was then that our purpose became clear; for Repliforce to carry out its purpose, it was necessary that we became independent, so that reploid and humans could work together without fearing to be labeled as maverick or as traitors to humanity.**

Something wasn't right, none of this made sense. _**Then why not just talk it over with the hunters and the humans?! Surely they would have understood.**  
_

**A person could understand, but in groups… we are idiots; this is why I had no choice, this is why I declared this war; for each reploids that adopted our cause, there were dozens that were ready to brand us as mavericks, without any second thought. There was no other option; and through this, Iris would learn the horrors of war while Colonel would learn the means through which peace could be preserved. And then… he came…**

The red hunter couldn't care less about these lies; nothing would stop her from settling this score, nothing… Suddenly, another strong tremor struck Final Weapon with full strength, triggering an alarm, which caused red lights to emerge from the ceiling. A mechanical voice began to yell. WARNING! WARNING! BEGINNING PROCEDURE TO FIRE THE WEAPON. WARNING! WARNING!

General frowned, not quite surprised by this sudden turn of event. **So, the coward finally stepped out of the shadows… I was wondering when he would finally act.**

CHARGING CANNON… … … TARGET: … POINT 3426 … … EARTH.

Hating herself for not having seen through his deception, Zero replied. **_You bastard! This was all a setup; you were planning to fire the weapon all along, you were just trying to delay me with this nonsense of yours!_**

**Believe what you will, but I have absolutely nothing to do with this; Final Weapon was merely a mean to goad the humans into agreeing with our demands. Someone must be controlling the weapon; but I, am not.**

WEAPON CHARGED AT 0,5. WARNING!

**_You're dead; you're not getting away with this!!_**

**It is as I have told you, Repliforce is finished.** The golden giant pushed a button hidden beneath his throne, forcing the platform beneath it to ascend as a large hole opened within the ceiling.

Readying her saber, the maverick hunter shouted. **_You're not going anywhere General!_**

**But I am. Perhaps the weapon can still be stopped in time, but I, cannot. Die… the way you deem the most appropriate.** Zero noticed something within the golden reploid's eyes; the same resolve, the same pride… the same folly as Colonel. **For I, have chosen mine.**

Torn between the choice of chasing after the huge reploid and stopping the weapon before it could fire on earth; the red reploid couldn't bring herself to take a decision at a time like this, but what if General was right; what if the was really someone else was really behind all the events of the past few weeks…

* * *

Deeper, within the bowels of Final Weapon…

The decision was made; Zero would not have been able to live with herself if Iris and Colonel's murderer was allowed to slip beyond her grasp… And if General had lied; then he would pay a far greater price…

Damaged neons, were threatening to plunge the whole corridor, leading to the weapon's energy reactor, in darkness. The blond hunter was advancing steadily, clutching to her saber as each of her steps brought her closer to her goal. Fortunately, it seemed most of Repliforce soldiers had vanished except for about a dozen of empty husks that were littered on the ground around her. Someone was definitely here; severed body parts and burn marks across the corpses shell were more than enough to confirm her suspicions.

Forcing open the door, that led to the reactor, open; the female reploid stepped in, noticing the huge metallic contraption that radiated a vivid orange light, and a shady reploid that was standing right before it. From where she was, the female reploid couldn't quite distinguish his features; all that she could tell, was that he was a very tall reploid, tightly wrapped into a large black cloak. The maverick hunter approached without making a single noise; closing on him as her heart yelled for vengeance. Strangely enough, he wasn't moving at all; in fact, he wasn't doing anything; just staring blankly ahead as if he wasn't even aware of his surroundings.

Zero silently drew her Z-Saber, and sliced through it through his back without ever giving him a chance to defend himself. The unknown reploid fell down, tearing his cloak apart as he crashed upon the floor. It was then, that she noticed it; more marks, different from the blow that she had just delivered to him. The sound of someone laughing echoed throughout the room, one that Zero knew far too well; she had heard it before… within the complex that she kept seeing in her dreams…

Suddenly, it stopped, being replaced by the applauses of a single reploid. He spoke. **Hee Hee Hee. Astounding… simply brilliant!**

By now, the name came almost naturally to the red reploids lips as she tried to wake herself up… it couldn't be. **_S-Sigma!_**

The bald reploid stepped out of the shadows, visibly satisfied with entrance. **This is quite a performance you have offered me today, Zero. I had my doubts; but you have, by far, exceeded my expectations… Most impressive indeed.**

**_You're dead! I finished you myself!!_**

**Hee Hee Hee. Well, I can assure you that I am indeed alive; but so are you, which raise much more questions…**

No matter how many times she had seen him do so, the maverick hunters simply couldn't believe it. He was still alive, though his armor had changed much since their first encounter; it could not be denied. This round red gem upon his forehead, those purple marks around his eyes, this large blue armor reinforced with gold and this long metallic staff… This was indeed Sigma. _**So it was you all along! You're the one who pitted Repliforce and the hunters against each other by convincing Magma Dragoon to betray the hunters!**_

**Now, now, I simply cannot claim all the credit for myself. After all, whether I was there or not would have changed little to this situation; sooner or later, General and Repliforce would have turned upon the humans… I merely gave them a push in the right direction…**

Unable to voice her thoughts coherently, Zero merely babbled incomprehensibly as she went on. _**So it was you… it was you all along…**_ Trying to get a grip, the blond-haired hunter went on. _**What do you want? X isn't even here?! So why don't you go back being dead or crawl back to whatever scrap yard you dragged yourself out! Why come back now?!**_

Paying little attention to what she was saying, the bald reploid went on with his villainous exposition. **I am impressed. Even with your inferior designs and capacities, you still managed to make it this far. It would seem that my initial assumptions had been false, you have much more potential than I would have ever suspected.**

Losing patience, Zero asked once more. _**What do YOU want?!**_

Sigma smirked and went on. **The truth… I want to know why every single of my attempts to guide the future in its right path have been met with complete and utter failure. My plans were flawless, and yet, each and every time you maverick hunters have managed to foil them. And now I think I have my answer.** The tall reploid looked upon her with hungry eyes, literally devouring her with his gaze. **My only miscalculation might have been to discard you as inconsequential; after all, it was you that saved X from the trap I had laid for him back then; it was you that dealt with this clone of yours, and it was you that prevented me from possessing him…**

The female hunter wasn't quite sure of what she was hearing, what was he getting at? What did he want? **There was only one way to find out, I had to keep you both apart so that I may properly test your abilities. Test, at which you performed admirably; you even succeeded in defeating both Iris and Colonel!**

Upon hearing those names, Zero felt like she was about to explode… She could not take it anymore; it was him. Again, it was him. He was the one who was responsible for the death of Colonel; he was the one responsible for… _**You made me do it…**_

Sigma laughed once more, visibly amused by her inner turmoil. **No, Zero; you wanted to destroy them; you wanted to make them suffer… Just like you wanted did when I first stumbled upon you.**

Clarity came over her, one that she had never felt before; just like the pieces of a puzzle suddenly coming together during one faint moment. **Yes, you remember, don't you? The power, the anger… You infected me, you opened my eyes Zero. On this fateful day when our path crossed, I smashed your gem with my fist; and it was then that it all began. You were so powerful back then, I was simply amazed at the strength you possessed… And yet, once I brought you back to the hunters… it was all gone… I fought the virus for months, and in the end I finally understood… I was one of the chosen… I was the one who would open the way. And now, I have found the one, who will deliver us all.**

Zero was hearing her own voice screaming within her head. _**Stop it!!**_ The voices resonated within her mind, as if she was living everything all over again.

**Never!**

_Please don't make me hate you…_

_**I-I'll do whatever you want… I'll do anything. Just don't leave me alone like this…**_

**You have become stronger… Too bad I will not be there to see you realize your full potential…**

_**Iris will be sad if she loses you.**_

_It was you; all along…I-I loved you, Zero._

Zero's vision became completely obscured by a strange red substance; the only thing she could see was Sigma, mocking her. She felt nothing… absolutely nothing. The pain she had felt on the way there… vanished. All that remained was anger… hatred… a murderous rage… Her fingers were no longer responding to her brain; it was almost as if it had fused with her saber; effectively becoming an extension of her own arm. Not that she cared; she would not need anything else for what was about to happen.

The bald reploid kept looking at her, amazed at the amount of red energy that emanated from her every pore; he was almost there, just a little more. **Those upgrades you came up with, they are quite intriguing… I had my doubts before seeing them in actions, but you actually have quite a knack for this kind of things. Theta was, indeed, right; you will indeed be the key to end the war against the mavericks. Hee Hee Hee!**

The female reploid had completely lost it; she could think of nothing else, see nothing else… _**DIE!!**_

* * *

There we are; the, not so stunning, conclusion of Megaman X4 that shall carry all the way to the fifth installment of the series.

Of course, most of you had probably already seen this coming, since I had made it quite obvious during the previous chapter that Zero would go nuts at some point; and believe me, this is only the beginning. Though it might be argued that I could have skipped the part about the background of Repliforce; I simply convince myself to do otherwise since the whole story about Iris and Colonel's origin was far too interesting to avoid it entirely; after all, the original was quite vague about it… As for the omission of the fight between Zero and General; I suppose that this was simply me saying that it sounded very likely that the latter could have crushed the former without much effort if he had only realized that he simply had to, ACCIDENTALLY, step on him to end the fight.

Also, as you may have noticed, the titles of the last few chapters are actually bases on the steps of coping with loss; concept which has allowed me to give quite a unique flavor to each chapters of the current story arc, as Zero struggles to get over the loss of both Colonel and Iris. I suppose it wasn't such a cunning plan on my part, but I suppose that it DOES fit.

Preview: Lost within the waves of anger that courses throughout her body; Zero finally realizes her true potential and is now hell-bent on ridding herself of the source of all of her problems. Where did this strange energy come from? What exactly does Sigma has in store for the maverick hunter, now that he had finally succeeded to bring her to the brink of madness? Next Chapter: Acceptance.


	39. Acceptance

Chapter 39

Acceptance

_**It was you!**_ Said Zero as she swung her saber toward the bald reploid. _**You're the one to blame!!**_

Evading her first blows without much effort, Sigma replied. **Sure, go ahead; blame me for everything… But in the end, it will change nothing. YOU, have brought this upon yourself; you're the one responsible for unleashing this calamity upon us… YOU're the one responsible for what is happening right now.**

Back then; the female reploid could feel the tremendous energy coursing through her body. The maverick hunter could think of dozens of ways to end his life, and yet could not settle for any of them. She could think of nothing else… see nothing else. Only one thing remained clear beyond the red veil that was falling before her eyes… … Sigma.

She could see his every movement… as if, time itself, had suddenly slowed down… She would make him pay. _**Hiyahhh!!**_

Sigma parried the incoming blow without much difficulty. Though he hated to dirty his own hands; the tall reploid had to admit that this was getting interesting. It was time to test her limits, to see how far she was willing to go.

As Zero's saber meet with his weapon, the voice spoke once more. WARNING! WARNING! CANNON CHARGED AT 50… PLEASE LEAVE THE REACTOR'S IMMEDIATE VICINNITY… I REPEAT, EVACUATE THE REACTOR IMMEDIATLY. WARNING! WARNING!

Unfortunately, the red reploid wasn't listening; instead, she kept swinging her saber at him as if she was possessed.

The maverick smirked. All the pieces were finally coming into place… **See what you have set in motion? See what you have done? This, is all your doing; this is what you are…**

There was no trace of anything else upon her face, only anger. With a sudden burst of strength, Zero sent him fly several feet away from her.

Sigma stood back on his feet, smiling, as his eyes fell upon the maverick hunter. It was just like first time, only better. **Every step along the way, you could have stopped this war; and yet you kept fighting, slamming each and every door as if you didn't give a damn about what was happening. You WANTED this…**

WARNING! WARNING! CANNON CHARGED AT 55. WARNING! WARNING!

**In the end, you will destroy everything you care about, and there is nothing that will ever be able to change that. Surrender to the virus, unleash the potential within. Only then, will you be able to protect those that will die because of you.**

Raising her weapon above her head, the female reploid felt the energy flow through both her hands, extending the blade of her saber to incredible lengths. _**I don't care.**_ Nothing was beyond her reach now, she couldn't care less if the Weapon was about to fire on Earth; she would finally settle the score, once and for all.

Slashing through the air, the red hunter sent three shockwaves of green energy toward the tall reploid, who literally vanished from her view. Sigma reappeared behind her, ignited his weapon, turning it into a scythe, whose blade was made out of pure energy.

Zero remembered how he had used this trick when they first met, so she turned around, only to realize that the tall maverick's eyes were now glowing with a strange prismatic light. Lasers came out through his eyes, melting parts of the floor as they attempted to catch her.

Leaping out of the way, the blond hunter saw the lasers dissipate behind her, as she landed safely upon the ground.

The reactor was growing unstable; the orange crystal that was powering it was now swelling with radiations; the reactor was now illuminated, much like a gaping maw amidst the shadows. The voice uttered once more. WARNING! WARNING! CANNON CHARGED AT 60. EVACUATE! EVACUATE!

The maverick hunter dashed toward him, sending numerous projectiles through her saber as she closed upon him. Sigma swung his scythe in every direction, hoping to keep her at bay long enough for the Weapon to finish charging. But something was wrong, the energy surrounding her was getting stronger, and each blows seemed to be getting heavier each times he managed to parry them.

Zero had gone berserk, she no longer cared about what happened to her, and was no longer trying to avoid his scythe.

The bald maverick could only stand there as his weapon kept absorbing the impacts. Perfectly aware that he was done for, the former maverick hunter took a glance at the reactor and said. **No one can stop it now… I win.**

The female reploid couldn't have cared less about the cannon; so she kept going, until the maverick's scythe finally shattered under her blade. He was defenseless, she knew it, and now he would pay.

Severing his left arm from his body, the maverick hunter began. _**This is for Colonel… **_

Then, preceding the next one, she added. _**This is for Iris…**_

Angry, that he was just standing there taking it, not even giving her the satisfaction of hearing him scream; the red hunter lifted him above her head, carrying him all the way to the ramp, that was still standing between them and the generator. **Killing me won't change anything… You now know the truth about yourself, WE, are the same… …**

Yelling, screaming, Zero finally did it… _**And this… is for me. Rrrahhh!! **_She threw him, all the way down to the generator, watching his armor burn from the inside as he was showered by an incredible amount of radiations; watching him crawl on the ground, as what remained of his skin was charred by the flames. And yet, he kept going; though sheer force of will, squirming, crawling, until the radiations finally managed to fry his brain. **Gaaarrrwl!!**

It was done… …

* * *

Somewhere near block 6-A hangar…

Though Zero had fulfilled her vengeance and sent Sigma back to where he belonged; it remained a fact that his plan had succeeded. Any attempts to stop the Weapon were now pointless, due to the sheer amount of radiations produced by the reactor. Most of the personnel, manning the station, had already abandoned ship, meaning that the way was clear between the blond hunter and the hangar.

The anger was fading, being replaced by a strong instinct of self-preservation, as the energy that used to be numbing her was beginning to fade away. Pain and exhaustion threatened to consume her, making it imperative for her to reach some means of transportation before she collapsed.

The voice was getting more pressing as the countdown went; the hunters had failed to prevent this disaster. The countdown was now reaching the ninety per-cent, meaning that there were about fifteen minutes left before Final Weapon could fire at its full capacity; or so she thought. SELF-DESTRUCT PROCEDURE INITIATED. ALL PERSONNEL ARE ADVISED TO REPORT TO THEIR SUPERIOR OFFICERS AND HEAD TO THEIR DESIGNATED TRANSPORTS. COUNTDOWN SET TO 10 MINUTES. ALL AVAILABLE PERSONNEL, PLEASE PREPARE TO LEAVE THE STATION AT ONCE!

Of course, it made sense; the only way to stop the cannon now, was to blow up the entire station… Somehow, she had a slight idea of who was behind this sudden turn of event; but to be honest, he wasn't making things any easier. Now, not only did the maverick hunter had to reach a shuttle before her body gave up on her, but she also had to reach it before Final Weapon turned into a deathtrap.

Clinging to whatever hope she had left, Zero ran toward the hangar, and soon managed to get her hands on, what was probably one of the last shuttles left after her reckless stunt. Feeling the strength being drained from her limbs, the female reploid heard the voice speak once more. WARNING! WARNING! T-MINUS 3! WARNING!

--

General's personal quarters, Final Weapon…

**And so it has come to this…** Muttered the huge reploid.

To think that what used to be the greatest army of the world could have fallen on such short notice… To think that mere hours ago, they held the humans at their throats… And yet he, the General and leader of Repliforce, was now the only thing standing between the preservation and the quasi-annihilation of the human race.

Repliforce, was finished, they would go down in history as mavericks and traitors to humanity; their hopes and dreams forever smothered by one single maverick hunter…

The countdown was nearing its end, and General was not so sure that he was ready for this… But of course, time, was of the essence.

T-MINUS 1, AWAITING CONFIRMATION FOR SELF-DESTRUCTION OF FINAL WEAPON… … …

The mustached giant began to doubt himself; there may never be another chance to teach the humans about humility; and yet, by doing so, he would prove them that they were right all along, that Repliforce was just another bunch of mavericks.

**Reploid's arrogance… …?**

**No…**

* * *

Space, Zero's shuttle…

By the time that the space station blew up, Zero was already on her way toward Earth. Left in a delirious state, the female reploid allowed her mind to wander while the autopilot drove her safely back home…

For a while, the maverick hunter replayed the events of the past few hours within her head, hoping that she could make some sense out of what had happened to her. And yet, no matter how many times she looked at it, she always came to the same conclusion; Sigma… was right…

Colonel and Iris were dead… They were never coming back… What happened today; the Repliforce war… It was all her fault; because she choose to draw a line between who was a maverick and who wasn't, between who deserved to live and who didn't…

Everything that had happened since the very day that Sigma turned on them; it was all her fault. Ever since the day she was first brought to the hunters, there was something within her that was just waiting to be unleashed upon the world; this was why everyone she was close to invariably turned on her. Because she did not know herself, because she existed…

She remembered it now…

Buried alive… imprisoned within this accursed complex for such long years… During that time, she had gone insane; the loneliness, the pain… now her only companions, had eventually turned her into some kind of monster; all that remained of her former self, was instinct.

It was then, that they found her… maverick hunters… She was so frightened back then; somehow, she knew that they had come for her.

She remembered it now; those dead reploids she kept seeing within her dreams; she had killed them all… every single one of them…

From this point, leaving that place was out of the question; she now knew that they were all waiting for her outside, and she would not let them take her away.

After so many failed attempts to apprehend her, another reploid entered the complex. He was alone, drenched in sunlight as he slid open the door of her prison. This reploid, that she would later learn to call Commander Sigma, made his way inside, his footsteps resonating throughout the lab.

A fight was inevitable; she had no intention of surrendering and he had no intention of leaving without her. Sigma was faster and stronger than any other robot she had seen before, and the only decent match she had found among the maverick hunters so far… But ultimately, she prevailed; much like she did an hour ago, she had managed to sever one of his arms off.

Pinned to the ground and with no one else to rescue him, the bald reploid was at her mercy. She was about to finish him when it happened… The pain… it was back…

With hundreds of voices screaming within her head, she could do little else but to cling to her own head as she tried to tear it off. However, much like he would years later, when she and X were at his mercy, Sigma seized his opportunity. Concentrating his strength within one single punch, he shattered her gem… sending her flying far away from him, as she crashed upon the cold floor.

She fainted… and days later she woke up at the Maverick Hunter's HQ; with no memories beyond her own name… Zero…

For some reasons, the original maverick virus had found a home within her; it was something unlike anything the maverick hunters had seen before; something beyond mere glitches or brain malfunctions… And for months, it developed within Sigma, becoming stronger than ever before, as it subdued its host and everyone around him; bidding its time, it patiently waited until Sigma was ready to unleash the first maverick outbreak upon Able City.

This was how she had infected him; this is why it was all her fault. If she hadn't been there, if she had succeeded to defeat him back then; then none of this would ever have happened.

The harm was already done; even though she had eliminated Sigma, nothing would change; Iris and Colonel would remain dead, and she… was the one who murdered them…

* * *

I should have known that this would happen once I began to write this chapter; each and every time I do a chapter like this, I almost invariably end up rewriting it all over again. But at least, now, it pretty much has the overall feel I wished it to have.

But of course, this isn't the point of this whole comment. Now, as you may know, we are finally reaching the very last chapter of this series of chapters regarding the end of Megaman X4, meaning that we will not only reach the conclusion of the current story arc; but also beginning a brand new series of chapters leading us all the way to Megaman X5. Without spoiling anything, I got to say that I have been anxiously waiting for this moment for quite a long time now; I happen to have so much stuff planned for X5 that my head is literally bursting with ideas. So I believe that I can safely assume that things will only get better during the next chapters.

Now, I believe that the timing is right for another shocking revelation. I haven't actually played to any of the games, of the X series, beyond Megaman X3… I know that it may not be so obvious since I had access to so many videos and the actual script of the game; but it remains a fact, that it may not be a 100 accurate. Though in some way, I suppose that this gives me an objectivity that I normally would not have been able to achieve, if I had actually played the games. Which pretty much means that this story is rather more about my own speculations of what happened or should have happened within the X series.

Regarding what has been happening during the past weeks and with the next deadline, I got to say that things finally seem to settle down for me. Being done forever with school and having finally acquired a Nintendo DS (Yay! New Megaman games!), I suppose that all that's left for me to do is to catch up with all of my late writing, so may expect some early releases during the next weeks.

Preview: Successfully making her way back to the Maverick Hunters HQ; something seems to be wrong with Zero, as the female hunter confines herself to her room and absolutely refuses to come out. Stricken with guilt over what happened within Final Weapon and unable to deal with the new discoveries she made about herself; it seems unlikely that anything will make her come out. Will X succeeds to find out about what his happening with his friend? Or will he become the red hunter's next victim? Next Chapter: Despair.


	40. Despair

Chapter 40

Despair

Trusting… The act of giving our trust to another… ...

Just imagine, if only for a second, a world where there would be no trust. A world where every attempts of relying on someone else was invariably doomed to end in betrayal… What if the line between truth and deception blurred so much, that you could no longer tell the difference between your friends and foes… A sad world, wouldn't you agree?

But what if you did live in such a world? What if everyone you thought you knew, suddenly started to change? What if, one by one, they started turning upon you?

This was the world that the maverick hunters were now forced to live in, this was the world that Sigma had managed to create. This was the world that both, X and Zero, were now forced to wander in.

The hunters, Repliforce, they had all been deceived. And for every maverick hunter that turned maverick, there were dozens who began to doubt themselves.

Everything was going to end now, the Repliforce war, the earth… everything. Soon, Final Weapon would rain fire upon this planet and nothing the hunters did would ever change that. They had failed.

And yet, it was when a large number of vessels began their descents on earth, that all became clear… Final Weapon was no more; the whole space station, consumed inside a massive fireball, along with all of Repliforce's hopes and dreams… With their chain of command now thrown in disarray, it made little doubt within the mind of the renegade organization, that this conflict would soon reach a swift conclusion. One by one, the maverick hunters seized every ship that managed to make it back from outer space; clearly witnessing the despair, that was now afflicting their now broken enemies.

However, one question remained, how… …?

The answer would soon come to X, who had just recently returned to the maverick hunters HQ, after narrowly escaping another of Sigma's deathtraps.

Back then, a lone shuttle began to appear on the distance, and sluggishly made its way back to their headquarters. Silent, empty, this vessel ignored every single of their warnings and landed inside their base without ever asking for permissions.

Keeping his distances, the blue reploid saw his comrades ready their weapons, as they were preparing to face whatever it is that would come out of the cockpit…

* * *

Maverick Hunters Headquarter, docking bay…

The voices, the sounds of cheering… Zero could not stand them… only one thing remained constantly on her mind, to get away…

Painfully, the female reploid lifted herself out of her seat, and soon felt the eyes of all the other reploids suddenly fell upon her.

The crowd, surprised, slowly acknowledging the fact that she was, in fact, one of their own; suddenly swept down upon her, like a swarm of vultures eagerly awaiting their meals. Unfortunately, the insignia that was painted on her transport had given her away; already they were trying to invade her bubble, already they were assuming that she had something to do with the destruction of Final Weapon… She could not stand it a second longer…

Shoving aside everyone who tried to stop her, the blond hunter made her way through the crowd; completely oblivious to the cries of joy that were emanating from around her.

From afar, X could see her heading toward him, under the confused looks of her audience; desperately trying to get away as she walking past him, without ever realizing that he was there… The blue reploid followed her, attempting to make her halt her course by repeatedly trying to get her attention. **Zero!**

So much happened today… she, of all people, would understand; she would know what to do.

Calling for her repeatedly, X tried to keep up with the female hunter, but the latter only seemed to be getting faster every time he closed on her.

Eventually, thanks to his persistence, the red reploid suddenly stopped; replying in a harsh tone, that hinted that she was in no mood for discussion, she said. _**What?!**_

This sudden outburst had somewhat lessened the maverick hunter's resolve; but in the end, he knew that he just had to tell her. **You were right… … Double was a spy just like you thought he was… Just before the high command ordered the assault on the spaceport, he lured me into a trap and tried to kill me…**

_**So what? Who cares if I was right?! It doesn't matter anymore!!**_

X wasn't so sure of what she was trying to imply, but he still went on. **But that's not all there is… He told me… Sigma's still alive! He's the one who orchestrated this whole Repliforce mess; he's the one who planned everything from Sky Lagoon up to those maverick outbreaks that followed. We've got to stop him; we've got to do something!**

Again, Sigma returned to haunt her; but it was over, and pushing the needle even further was just torturing her ever more; she could not have cared less about anything he had to say. _**He's dead…**_

**Huh?!**

The female reploid clenched her fists, if only to keep herself in check while she went on. _**Iris… Colonel… General… Sigma… They're dead… … They're all dead… SO LEAVE ME ALONE!!**_

The blue reploid just stood there, shocked, watching the blond hunter disappear within the maze of corridors that comprised the maverick hunters HQ… What was that just now?

* * *

Three days later…

Ever since the commotion she caused at the docking bay, Zero seemed to have vanished… Sequestrating herself within her room, the female reploid refused to come out, making many wonder if she had not snapped.

Of course, after what happened back there, X was not quite ready yet to make this kind of assumptions. Though he, himself, was still quite freaked out.

But eventually, it was inevitable that the high command would grow impatient to wrap up their investigation regarding the Repliforce war; which made things a lot worse since she was one of the key witnesses, who had survived the destruction of the space station. In the end, Signas bended under the pressure and ordered the blue maverick hunter to go find out what the hell was wrong with her.

Having been friend with her for quite a while, X had to admit that he had absolutely no idea of what he expected to find in there… She had changed… long before the other hunters actually noticed it; she was hiding things a lot of thing from the peoples close to her and was particularly itchy whenever he tackled the subject. And considering the fact that she had also lost her spotter, he had no idea about how she would react once she saw him.

On his way there, the male reploid actually noticed three reploids that were standing outside her room. One of them, a rather unassuming spotter, had been hurt quite recently, and was sitting against the nearest wall. Around him, a green-armored hunter and a dark-haired girl attempted to figure out what happened to him. The second one, who was wearing two pistols around her waist, asked. _Come on Wire; get a grip for the maker's sake. What happened to you just now?_

The hunter referred to as Wire, answered. **I don't know, I just went in there to talk to her and she went nuts for no reason at all!**

Quite skeptical about his friend's answer, the green armored reploid said. _**What did you exactly tell her? The commander wouldn't have hit you unless she had a damn good reason for doing so; your story doesn't make any sense.**_

**I'm telling you, I really don't know what happened to her!**

Easily concluding that those reploids were part of the Stealth Unit, X approached them; hoping they could shed some light upon their commander's situation. He asked. **Sorry to interrupt you guys, but what exactly is happening here?**

The female reploid was the first to notice him and answered. _We don't know; Wire here, says that commander Zero punched him for no reason at all; which I can understand since I've also been repeatedly tempted from doing so. But this really doesn't sound like her at all…_

**Punched me?! You mean she LITERALLY went maverick on me!!**

While those three reploids were arguing among themselves, the blue reploid took a few steps toward the door; taking a deep breath as he walked in. Hearing the door close behind him, X could still head the last pieces of their conversation as he penetrated inside the room.

_Come on, what did you REALLY tell her?_

**Nothing, I tell you!**

_Yeah, like I'm going to believe that!_

* * *

Zero's room…

It was dark inside, and it took a few seconds for X's eyes to get used to the obscurity. This place was a mess… Though it was not messier than it usually was, the male reploid could tell that something was amiss once he noticed Zero's helmet lying upon the floor.

That was strange… The blue reploid had never seen her remove her helmet before, and used to believe that, much like his own, it was actually screwed right above her brain. Bending to take a closer look at the unusual item, he noticed her. Lying within her regenerative bed in an awkward position, Zero had her back turned on him, as what he figured was her head, kept facing the wall ahead of her.

As he took another step within her direction, he could hear her saying. _**Get lost.**_

Sensing that she not in her normal state, X began. **What do you think you're doing in here? Everyone is worried sick about you…**

_**Go away!**_

Suddenly, a metallic object flew right next to him as he saw the female reploid blindly hurl, what seemed to be a small communicator, in his direction. **Calm down, will you? I can see that there's something wrong with you.**

The only answer he received was. _**Leave me alone!**_

**Are you sure you don't walk to talk, Zero? We're friends, remember? You can tell me if something's bothering you.**

As he got closer, the blue reploid realized that there was a strange noise amidst the constant flow of yelling, that was coming out from her throat. She was… …

Moving closer to the bed in order to get a better look at the red hunter, X realized that she was, in fact, crying. **Zero… Y-You… you… you're crying…**

She hurled another object in his direction, and the blue reploid could now tell that this wasn't just some kind of bad mood she was in. She probably needed him more than she ever did right now; and for once, he would be there for her instead of the opposite.

The female hunter looked awful, burned across a tenth of her body, her hair left loose upon her bed; X had never seen her so vulnerable before, and for some reasons, he could not refrain himself from sliding his arms around her, forcing Zero to sit right next to him as he attempted to console her. She did not fight back, in fact she seemed to be in no state to do so; but he could not have been more wrong…

Seconds later, Zero began to shake violently and dragged him all the way to the floor. The male reploid could feel his neck crushing under the pressure of her fingers and helplessly watched the female hunter ignite her saber, with which she had been sleeping all along.

Never, had X been so scared as he was now… and the way she looked at him… …

He was pinned to the ground, lying only a few inches away from the green blade of energy. Feeling life fade away from his arms, X tried to make her let go of his neck, but absolutely unable to do so. _**I told you… … TO GET AWAY!!**_

* * *

That wasn't her…

The Zero she saw just now… it wasn't her…

If she hadn't seen her own reflection within his eyes just then, she had no idea of what she would have done. She was scared… scared of what she had turned into… … …

She had cried, just like her deceased spotter said she should; and yet, it wasn't getting any easier; and now, even though all that was happening was her own fault; she was still taking it out on peoples who did not deserve it…

Twice today she had completely lost control over what she was doing. Back then; she would have done it... When she was holding X at the tip of her blade… it felt so right… Her arm said yes… and her head was simply in no condition to deny her…

X was the last person she wanted to see right now; all that she wanted was to get Iris back… all that she ever wanted was that Colonel would love her just as much as she did… Was that so wrong… … …?

But of course, it was just a dream…

She now knew where she used to stand with him… while he was alive, Colonel was someone who knew his priorities, which explains why she always came second to Repliforce.

Even when he was dying, all that he could think of; was what would happen to his sister… He might not even have loved her in the first place; and was simply using her just like he did with Web Spider!

… … …

But with Iris… it was different…

Unlike her brother, Iris had been living for her, and only for her… Back then; all she seemed to care about, was to tell her how much she liked her… How happy she was that she had saved her from Theta's clutches; how grateful she was for last months they spent together… … And how sorry she felt for not being able to tell her sooner.

If only Zero had known before, if only she had considered the fact that she and Iris could have been more than friends… …

Or perhaps this was also a lie; perhaps the brother and sister were just halves of a greater being; perhaps this was why she had fallen in love with one of them, while it was the other, who had fallen for her.

But none of this mattered now… they were both dead, and she was the one who was responsible for all that happened to them.

This was why it was so difficult for the female reploid to put this ordeal behind; this was why she felt so guilty about having so little control over this glass world she had built for herself.

She was too weak to take her own life; she had no other choice now… Just like then, she would have to remain within this room… forever…

At least here she wouldn't harm anyone else… no longer would she have to suffer betrayal from someone else… And eventually… she would just vanish… … …

* * *

Well, as you can see, this is quite a busy chapter; not only are we finishing the series of chapters about how Zero is dealing with the death of both Iris and Colonel; but also, we get a slight peek about what is coming up for Megaman X5.

What I especially like about the past few chapters is that we got to see what was going on inside Zero's mind at this particular point in the story; and actually witness her transformation every steps throughout the way. Though, I must admit that I may not have exactly followed every steps of the coping process to the letter, since most of the steps ended up merging together; I have to say that this is probably for the best.

Although, another thing worth mentioning, is the fact that Zero was far more affected by Iris's death than that of anyone else in the story; there was simply something about the events and overall feeling of the original story; that simply convinced me that I couldn't change this, even though Zero had actually fallen for Colonel within this FanFic. Though I suppose it kind of make sense since she actually had so little time to develop a proper relationship with either of them, which makes these kinds of ambiguity actually quite justified.

Preview: Time heals all wounds, or so peoples say… And, in fact, that old saying proved to be especially true for Zero. Now having accepted the fact that both Colonel and Iris's were gone; our female hunter is now ready to shake the very foundations of the maverick hunters HQ, as she attempts to earn back some measure of control over her life. Will Zero be strong enough to forge her own destiny, or will she succumb to the taint that is still living inside of her? Next chapter: Control.


	41. Control

Chapter 41

Control

The Repliforce War was over…

Relieved to be free from the threat posed by Final Weapon, the maverick hunters were initially eager to catch some, much needed rest, after the bloody conflict that had pitted them against the Repliforce.

However, the fact remained, that it would be next to impossible to keep the world's eyes off what had transpired; now that the Repliforce Army, was no more.

With so many survivors of the renegade faction left behind bars, the High Command of the hunters had little choice but to declare a Grand Investigation; which would, hopefully, shed some light upon the events that had led to the destruction of the space station, as well as exonerating the hunters of all responsibilities in the matter.

While the maverick hunters' victory was great news in itself, it certainly paled in comparison to the machinations of Sigma, which had finally brought down the hunters onto their knees.

His purpose more inscrutable than ever, the ex-commander of the 17th Unit, had shamelessly succeeded to pit reploids against reploids with his machiavellian plots; proving once more, that it was only a matter of time before the hunters turned on each others.

And strangely enough, he was right; nobody had ever expected former navigator Theta or the melee unit to go maverick; and as if that wasn't enough, everyone, including X, had been completely oblivious to the presence of a maverick spy in their midst.

Despite all the measures that had been taken to track the lone murderer that had been eluding them up until now, Double had slain dozens of maverick hunters with impunity, all the while earning his trust until the time was right to eliminate his target… Him…

It was almost too big to be real… And that… was partly the reason why X had rushed to the medical bay as soon as he heard that Zero had finally left her room to undergo some, much needed, repairs.

Unfortunately, however, the female reploid had already been admitted for intensive care not long before he had arrived; so, he had little choice but to wait for them to finish before he could confront her.

As expected, X had absolutely no idea what would happen once she was freed from the Lifesaver's care. The way she was back then… He had never seen her like that… So vulnerable, and yet… … … he could find no other possible explanation… She too, had snapped.

At one point or another… it happens. It's something that all maverick hunters have to deal with on a daily basis. However, when you see as much suffering as they do, or see peoples going crazy all around you; it's bound to happen, sooner or later. But honestly… X had thought he knew better…

The tormented hunter couldn't help but to feel that this was somehow his fault; maybe he had been a little too forward with her, maybe he should have supported her more while he still had the chance… Or maybe… maybe he just did not understand her as much as he thought he did.

He couldn't just stand there while she was like that. She had saved his life more often than he actually gave her credit for, and all he really wanted was to help her.

But he knew then, that it was already too late.

She had changed… long before now…

He felt like Zero was the only person he could truly rely on, amidst the storm that was always surrounding them; and somehow, the blue maverick hunter had come to believe that they both genuinely cared about each other. But then… not too long after she was brought back to life, this, started to change. From the point that the female reploid had obtained her command rank, her responsibilities had increased exponentially; and while they still met quite frequently, all of that eventually came to an end, once they were each assigned their new spotters.

Between her unit, Iris, and the fact that Double demanded so much supervision; it was no surprise, that, despite their best intent, they grew apart.

And that was, when the tensions and secrets began to erode what little that remained of their friendship.

Despite all the time they spent together back in the days of the 17th unit, he had absolutely no idea of what she was going through right now; let alone anything about what could possibly have made her cry like this. She always looked… so strong… so in control of what she was doing, that it was only natural to think that none of those things ever got to her. Yet, it was now that X would have needed that comfort the most. If someone as driven as Zero, could eventually be worn down by all that was going on around them; then what about him?

Perhaps Sigma had been right all along… In time, he too, would snap; as the entire world eventually turned against him. And there was absolutely nothing that he could do about it…

And it was precisely from that moment, that the blue reploid secretly began to dread what would happen, once Zero would finally come out of maintenance. Event, which unfortunately, occurred all too soon.

She looked… exhausted… And rightfully so, since she had been in there for more than six hours past the time he had arrived.

While the burn marks and the cracks were gone, her gem was glowing dimmer than usual, and it made little doubt once he saw her, that the physical strain that her body had to endure during all those repairs was already taking its toll upon the female reploid.

Dragging herself across the room, Zero felt much worse than she had, when she escaped from Final Weapon, and had been looking forward to return to comfort of her own regenerative bed; which probably explained why she met this moment with such apprehension, once she realized that the male hunter was already dead set on confronting her over what had happened the last time they were together…

But of course, what was he thinking he could accomplish by doing so? Rubbing her face in it would not make this feeling of betrayal go away, let alone make the pain disappear just by magic; and it certainly would not change the fact that she had, indeed, tried to kill him.

But, that was just the kind of person he was. And it was within this state of mind, assaulted with doubt, that X stood there, waiting for an answer… Anything which he could cling to, in the hope that things might just get better; even if it was just a lie…

And in the end, though it was little more than a few syllables; she spoke just the words he so badly needed to hear. _**X…**_ She began, not quite sure what she was supposed to say. _**… … … I'm sorry…**_

_**---**_

It felt as if the world had been off lifted off X's shoulder…

This silver of hope, of which he had caught a glimpse of; he had clung to it, desperately. Gambling everything he had on this one chance that perhaps things might just get back to the way they used to be. And strangest of all, for a time, it actually seemed to work…

Every day, little by little, X was seeing more and more of her coming back from whatever it is, that was still trying to pull her back into the abyss; and though she refused to leave her room, he could have sworn that she was actually getting better. But all of his illusions were shattered under the weight of reality once her own turn to testify for the Grand Investigation came up.

Zero wasn't speaking much about what really happened within the Space Station, nor about how her spotter had also meet her end back there; in fact, the blue reploid knew little more than what she had said when she came out of that shuttle. Sigma was supposedly dead, Repliforce was broken and Iris had suddenly vanished from the face of the earth. And to be perfectly honest, the male hunter dared not push his luck any more than he already had. Truth be known… sometimes… she scared him…

But, being one of the last key witnesses who remained to be heard, this certainly would not be enough to persuade the High Command to leave her alone; and while she had managed to avoid any confrontations with them thus far, it was unlikely that she could avoid them forever.

In fact, signs of their impatience became all too clear when they cut off all the means she had to rejuvenate herself. It was common knowledge, that every reploids needed energy to survive. For that, when deprived of that energy, they would simply shut down and revert back to being simple chunks of synthetic flesh and metal…

Zero perfectly knew that, and yet she categorically refused to come forward and face the High Command on her own; and all of the progress that the blue reploid had witnessed until now, was suddenly crushed into the ground.

However, one day, something peculiar occurred; being done with his shift, X hurried back to her room in order to check back on her. And while she seemed to have lost interest in just about everything and seldom spoke, her voice held a hint of seriousness that he hadn't heard in quite a while. She asked. _**X… ?**_

Startled at first, he replied. … **Yeah?**

_**… I need you to do me a favor… I… I need you to fetch something for me…**_

**Really? Hm… Sure, what do you need?**

_**But first… you gotta promise me that you're gonna do it, you gotta promise me that you won't tell anyone else.**_

Somewhat intrigued by the way she phrased that last request, X answered. **How am I supposed to do that if you won't even tell me what this is all about?**

_**Just say it already!!!**_ She yelled, a sense of urgency filling her every words.

Kind of taken by aback by that sudden outburst, the male reploid finally blurted out. **Huh…? Sure, OK, whatever you want…**

_**I need you to… get me something to re-energize myself…**_

Staring blankly at Zero, who was laying in bed, her back turned against him, the blue maverick hunter allowed her to go on. _**… … … a portable generator; a bunch of energy crystals… anything that will allow me to hold on a few more days…**_

**You know I can't do that… **He replied. **And even if I did, this wouldn't change anything, sooner or later, you're gonna have to leave this place… They… They're not going to leave you alone as long as you don't come clean to them…**

Interrupting him, the female reploid said._** Just do it already!!!… … … I… I can't feel my left side anymore… …**_

Having already suspected that much, since she was desperate enough to ask for help, X said. **You've got to tell them what happened back there… Whatever you think you did, it can't be any worse than what you're going through righ…**

_**You don't know!!! You don't know anything!**_

**Then tell me, Zero, tell me what I don't know? We're…** X hesitated for a moment, having flashbacks of what happened the last time he said that last part. **We're friends, remember?**

_**You don't understand… If I… As long as I remain here… I… I haven't become a maverick…**_

Dumbfounded by those last words, the male hunter dreaded the words that would come out of her lips when the female reploid continued. _**As long as I'm still here… things are just the way they used to be… before Repliforce, before Final Weapon… before HIM… As long as I'm still lying there, I'm STILL a maverick hunter…**_

That was the one bit of information that Zero had given about what was going on; X wasn't so sure whether she was just scared, or whether there was still some pieces of the puzzle missing. But maybe, that was all it really boiled down to. What was he supposed to do? Indulge her every whim until the High Command fetched her by force? Or simply pretend that nothing ever happened until she shuts down on her own? **I can't do it, Zero… You've got to solve this on your own. Just walk out and tell them what they need to know, then… It'll all be over…**

This time, the female reploid had actually turned before him, making sure that he was looking her in the eyes when he would answer her. _**Then… kill me…**_

**… … …**

**WHAT?!**

_**If you won't help me… If you truly believe that they're right… then, kill me.**_

X couldn't believe what he was hearing right now… How could she possibly say something like that? **There's no way I'd do something like that! Are you out of your freaking mind?!**

_**I'm serious! I hate to admit it, but I'm too much of a coward to do it myself. If you really think that they are right, if YOU think that I've turned maverick then… I'm asking you, X; will you kill me?**_

Refusing to hear anymore of this non-sense, the blue reploid stormed out of the room. **I'm NOT gonna do that!**

Little did he know, that the choice was already made for him…

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Author Rambling:** And so, more than a year later, I come back crawling with my tail between my legs… Alright, enough with the metaphors, but needless to say, it's good to be back. As you can guess, it's been a while since I last updated this story and, to be honest, I am quite surprised that all of you didn't just abandon ship after two months without any update… … … Anyway, I would like to take a moment to thank those of you who stuck by me, and I do hope that I can make it up to you in the coming months… More on that later…

Needless to say, a lot of stuff have been happening in my life during the past year; for instance, I got and lost my job, I moved three times in the same summer, I got to play both Megaman X4 and X5 for the first time, which was a big treat, I decided to go back to school for a couple of years and I just couldn't get any sort of privacy, as is customary in my case…

Anyway, for those who have been following the profile, I guess you must have been wondering what was this whole deal with that arbitrary countdown of mine. Well, to answer your question, this was just a mean to tell you just how far along I was with my writing on this story; which means that you can certainly expect frequent updates in the next three months. Following which, you can expect some additional ones too, as soon as I'm done with the trial chapters for KxC (Gundam Seed Story); especially considering the fact that this will lead us to the Holidays.

Considering this chapter specifically, I have to say that it didn't quite turn as I had planned (again), truth is, I had something big coming and seeing how the story had progressed back then, I decided to postpone it to better fit my timeline. And, as you have no doubt noticed, X is finally back as a regular cast member, which must certainly makes you wonder why I purposefully avoided him all the way up to this point. Truth is, I didn't need him… I didn't WANT him… Because the Repliforce arc was about Zero and only Zero, just as Megaman X4 was meant to be. And I am planning to stick to that principle; still, you can expect to see a lot more of X in the coming chapters.

Now, moving on to more Megaman oriented news, I'm proud to announce that thanks to the Megaman enthusiast communities, that Megaman is on the verge of being inducted within the Robot Hall of Fames, with a very respectable lead at the moment. So let's all cheer for our little Blue Bomber as he finally gets the recognition he deserves.

**Preview:** Will you protect me? Will help me back up when I fall down? All legitimate questions that one may asks when one decides to let back another person into his life. But what does those questions means when one is confronted to the hard and cold reality that others would lay down before us. How can one really hope to understand the events that unfold before us without ever being there to see it play itself? The line drawn between the truth that Zero would tell and the one that others draw become blurrier, as the maverick hunter tries to make sense of it all. Will Zero truly branded as a maverick? Will X have to courage to end her life before it reaches its turning point? Next Chapter: Malleable Truth.


	42. Malleable Truth Part 1

Chapter 42

Malleable Truth

As she greedily consumed the energy crystals that X had found her, Zero couldn't seem to shake off this feeling of guilt over what she had said earlier.

"Will you help me? Will you kill me?" Those were the questions she had asked him.

But, what she really meant to say, deep inside, was: "Can I trust you?"

Surely, a maverick would never have passed on such an opportunity. Had she chosen to surrender her life willingly; someone under the influence of the maverick virus would never have had any second thoughts about killing her.

"None of that matter now." She said to herself; now she had her answer.

Sigma was dead, the female reploid had witnessed his death through her own eyes; and this, was all the certitude she needed to keep on living. The certainty that this wasn't all in vain… that she had avenged them; despite being the one who had pulled the trigger… … …

True, she had long since been toying with the idea of testifying before the High Command; but before she did, she needed to know if HE could be trusted. Much like the canvas of a broken mirror, she could now decide which part she would leave behind; a fresh start, where SHE would be the only one who would decide whom she would allow back into her life. In the end, X had caved in; and it was from this point on, that she knew, that he would never be capable to harm her.

However, the time to do so came all too soon.

Worried that she might back down at the last minute, the blue reploid had moved his own testimony right before her own; if only to make sure that he would be there, right before she walked through that door.

X gazed compassionately at the blond hunter and grasped her forearm with his right hand, probably to make sure that she would look back at him when he spoke. **This is it… Don't worry, just get in there and tell them what they want to know, and everything's going to be just fine.**

Inconvenienced by the way the blue reploid had chosen to voice his concern, Zero tried to evade his gaze and clumsily answered. _**Yeah…**_

**I… I've gotta go deal with something now… But, just hang in there, alright?**

Taking a deep breath, the red hunter nodded in acknowledgement, visibly aware of what would await her as she walked in.

The door slid behind her, and there it was; an empty room with a large metallic desk encompassing the northern wall almost in its entirety, along with several chairs that were resting behind it. As Zero took a few more steps, she heard the silent humming of something following her, almost as if someone was watching her every movement as she made her entry; then, a feminine voice said. "Please, sit down and rest for the time being, the High Command shall be in shortly."

Noticing the one chair that was standing in the middle of the room, the female hunter sat down awkwardly; and roughly ten minutes later, a group of three reploid stepped in from the other side of the room.

Each of them were wearing a dark green coat, and Zero could have sworn that they were all of the same model, were it not for the fact that each of them tried to emulate an entirely different slices of age. The three of them sat down, and the second reploid of the group asked. **Commander of the 0****th**** Stealth Unit, Zero, I presume?**

_**That's right.**_

"Identity… CONFIRMED." The female computerized voice replied as the middle-aged officer dismissed her.

_Then, with this being taken care of_. The other reploid, visibly the oldest one judging by his snowy mustache and furry brows, said. _I assume that this is the first time you appear before us, is that correct?_

Zero nodded respectfully. Well then… Know, that WE are the High Commanders of the Maverick Hunters. The highest tier of the chain of command! Or, to make it clearer for the likes of you, your superior's superior.

**First, we would like to thank you for… VOLONTERING… for this special hearing of the Grand Investigation. **Began the stern officer sitting in the middle. **I assume that you are aware of the reasons why we have summoned you?**

_**Yes.**_ Answered Zero, attempting to gauge them in order to figure out just who she was up against.

**The whole purpose of your presence here, is to help us make some sense out of what exactly led to the conflict that pitted us against the Repliforce Army, and also, to help us understand what exactly caused the destruction of their headquarters, the space station Final Weapon.**

Scouting their gazes for the slightest hint of emotion, Zero knew then, that she had no allies within that room.** However, do note, that this is NOT a court martial. Therefore, we expect you to answer truthfully and to the best of your abilities, to each question that you will be asked, lest this be forced to become one. We are not here to try you, however, we reserve ourselves the right to hold anything you say here against you; should we, indeed, be forced to come to that extremity. You will be allowed to defend yourself in due time; however, we ask you to stick to the facts and respect our protocols for the time being. Am I making myself clear, Commander Zero?**

_**Yes, sir!**_

**Very well then, Commander, we shall begin by hearing your report regarding the events that led to the demise of former navigator Theta…**

**---  
**

_**And this concludes my report on the destruction of the space station Final Weapon.** _Said Zero, as she finished to deliver her report, roughly an hour and a half later.

As she sat down, the red hunter could have sworn that none of those peoples had been paying any attention to what she had said until now.

In fact, while she may only have told them what they needed to hear, the female reploid was confident that she had accurately described her own experience throughout the Repliforce War; and was all the more surprised when she realized that none of them had even lifted a brow when she mentioned Sigma's involvement in this whole mess.

Yet, none of those three reploid really seemed to care, until the younger one finally decided to ask. And you do are planning on sticking with that story; am I correct?

**_Yes, Sir!_** She replied, not quite sure what he was trying to imply by asking that question.

**So be it… Commander. Then, if you will, we shall move on to the questions, which we believe to be relevant to this particular investigation. Officer #1, you may proceed…**

So, as mentioned into the first file here… Began the officer as an holographic rendition of the said file appeared before his eyes. Shortly before the former navigator codenamed: Theta, died, an explosion occurred within one of our hangars, and took the life of one of our mechanics in the process… While it is clear in our eyes that this incident was the direct result of some kind of foul play,we would like to know what you were doing there at that specific time, while another hunter had been specifically assigned for that very same duty… Would you care to enlighten us on that subject?

Not quite sure whether this had anything to do with Repliforce, Zero wondered why exactly they had decided to begin their investigation with that specific event; but, despite that fact, she answered. _**Well… As it turned out, I happened to have switched shift with Magma Dragoon, the leader of the 14**__**th**__** Unit, as the latter asked me to fill in for him in exchange for future considerations.**_

**And of course, you are aware… Commander, that those kinds of practices, were in direct violation of both of your duties as maverick hunters?**

Falling to understand why they were already going on the offensive over such a small matter, the female reploid responded. _**That's right… However… with all due respect Sir, while the act of switching shift is generally frowned upon by the higher chain of command; you have to understand, that those practices are fairly common when it comes to the daily routines of regular maverick hunters, and as a result, are also generally tolerated as long as the job gets done…**_

_And under what pretext did the commander of the Melee Unit requested such a favor from you? And why did you choose to indulge him? _Asked the old reploid, interrupting her.

_**It was… convenient, I guess… **_She answered. _**Dragoon had asked me to switch shift while I was scheduled for time off and since he seemed to be in quite a bind, I decided that I might as well do it since I had little to lose in the process. From what little I knew, he had to attend some kind of meeting; and since the members of the 14****th**** Unit had the reputations of being some of our most skilled hunters, I supposed that this had something to do with some special exercise, to which I wasn't privy to…**_

**But you did not know for sure? What you are telling us right now, are pure speculations. You actually did not know for sure what he was up to, and failed to report that fact to the proper authorities.**

_**Well… Yeah, but you have asked me what kind of excuse he came up with, so I told you what you wanted to know…**_

We will have to ask you to stick to the facts for the time being. You shall only answer in such a fashion, if explicitly asked to do so.

_**Yes, Sir… I'm… sorry.**_ Replied the annoyed hunter as she repositioned herself on the tip of her chair.

_Anyway, tossing aside the fact that you did not know what he was up to; are you inclined to believe that he may have something to do with this clear act of sabotage?_

The female reploid took a moment to ponder her response and replied. _**He might… But I doubt it; that's just not his style. Though he made it perfectly clear, later on, that he wanted me dead; I believe that he would never have resorted to something so cowardly to achieve his goals. A spy, like Double, would have been far more likely.**_

Very well… Moving on to more important matters; it is said here, that after being informed that a theft had occurred at headquarter, you found yourself involved in a chase that eventually led you to catch up with former navigator Theta; which eventually led you to dispose of her, along with two of her maverick accomplices, am I reading this correctly?

_**Yeah… Though it's actually a little more complicated than that, but yeah, that's it… I had been informed, prior to the chase that led to the premature death of Navigator Theta, that a thief had escaped with a particularly crucial piece of information from headquarter; and had taken flight not too long before the explosion occurred. Which was when I managed to catch a glimpse of her trying to escape from the crime scene.**_

However, the matter that concerns us here, is that further reports filled by some of our investigators tells us that navigator Theta was in absolutely no position to defend herself when you dealt the final blow that eventually took her life…

**Indeed, we can clearly read within former investigator Signas' report, that the only weapons she had at hand on the scene, was a buster gun and a hand-held taser; the former, which was found deeper within the alley, while the other was found within the palm of her severed limb! Now, please explain to us, Commander Zero; what reasons you could possibly have had for not bringing her back for questioning when she was seemingly unable to defend herself?**

Knowing fully well that she was on the verge of getting compromised, the female reploid blurted out. _**I could not have, for sure, known if she would have destroyed the disk containing the information she had stolen; nor if we had any backups that could allow us to retrieve it. For all I cared, she may yet have had another weapon concealed on her person! I had pursued her there all the way from headquarter, got ambushed by two of her maverick goonies, and shot at repeatedly, with the explicit intention of killing me! Surely, you can't possibly have expected me to pamper her while I could have, just as easily, died!**_

**NOT just as easily, it would seem. And even then, your own story just doesn't add up! The location of the body and the wounds inflicted by your beam saber clearly shows us that your former navigator was standing right in front of you when you decided to take away her life; while your own report describes in great details how she attempted to ambush you at that very same spot!**

_That will be more than enough #2, as you have said yourself; we are NOT here to judge her._

Unfortunately, the second high commander did not exercise his right to remain silent and stood up from all his height, glaring at the red hunter. **If so, tell us what really happened there, maverick hunter Zero! Why would you openly lie to us when there are so many evidences stacking up against you?! The only possible explanation** **I can find is that you found yourself tangled in a hostage situation, as theorized within the very same report that brings those evidences to light. Yet, you have blatantly omitted to mention the presence of such a person, leading us to believe that there is more than meet the eye here!**

Now locked into a staring contest, the middle-aged officer and the female reploid visibly refused to let that argument slide. That is, until the old gentleman once again asked for order. _That will be more than enough, both of you, sit down! While you may disagree over the proper way to have handled that situation, it change little to the fact that she did manage to safeguard that disk, despite the fact that those mavericks had went through such great length to obtain it. If anything, she should be praised for her efforts, not scorned._

Unwilling to let it go, the officer standing above his colleagues had little choice but to comply with his comrade's request and sat down. **Very well… However, COMMANDER, I would ask you to refrain from any further outbursts; as my colleague most graciously remarked, we are not here to try you, so please, stick to the facts from now on.**

Still quite worked up over what the High Commander had implied, Zero eventually managed to regain her composure and reluctantly nodded as they went on. **Please, #1, do go on.**

Of course… … … Now, while you DID manage to retrieve the disk, it is stated in here that you were the one who finally surrendered it to the proper authorities. Did you have any time to analyze what was on the said disk? … Or rather… did you have any previous knowledge of its content before then?

_**No.**_

**Were you ever told any specific information regarding the content of that disk, or ever become privy to its content following the said event?**

Fully aware that she was lying, Zero answered. _**No, sir, I did not…**_

Then… The younger officer said. You must be aware that a maverick hacker subsequently stole that very same data from us soon after the coup perpetrated by Repliforce.

_**I had heard about it, but I had no idea that it was this very file that he was after. In fact, I heard that X had managed to destroy him before he escaped.**_

That is correct, however, the transfer was already completed when A-Class Hunter X managed to intercept him… So it was, unfortunately, too late…

_Needless to say, I believe that we have wasted enough time on this subject…_Pointed out the reploid with the snowy brows. _ For the time being, let us focus now on the far more important event of what happened following the crash of Sky Lagoon…_

Certainly… Replied the other High Commander as he looked through his notes. Now, you have claimed here, that your newly assigned spotter had been missing ever since the alarm regarding Sky Lagoon had been set in motion; you later write, that you found her among the debris, prior to encountering a platoon of soldiers from Repliforce, is this correct?

_**Yes… **_Truthfully answered the female reploid.

_Of course, leaving aside the reasons as to why your spotter was missing and somehow ended up within the debris of the Lagoon;_ _here, you say that once you encountered the soldiers of Repliforce, you decided that it would be best to arrest them for questioning; and subsequently ordered them to surrender their weapons. Which they, obviously, refused. Why did you choose to make that decision?_

Zero explained. _**Everyone was panicking over what was happening there; making my way among the debris and seeing the devastation the Lagoon had caused; I, too, wanted to know who could possibly be responsible for such a catastrophe. Though I must confess, that I had been previously informed that Repliforce had been spotted in the vicinity of the flying city, prior to its destruction. So, acting on the information I had then, I decided that it would be best if I brought them back for questioning. That may not have been the best course of action to take at the time, but in order to make sure that nothing would elude us on that matter, I made the decision to do this strictly by the book.**_

**This was, of course, the proper decision to make… **Snidely remarked the officer sitting in the middle of the desk.** Repliforce's presence out there was very suspicious, to say the least. While your decision may have led to a full-fledged diplomatic incident, this WAS, the proper course of action to take; given the circumstances…**

_Indeed, while Repliforce subsequent actions leaves little doubt as to what their true intentions were; one may wonder if we may not have, unknowingly, stirred a hornet's nest; especially considering the time we spent quelling the various maverick cells that sprung once the coup was perpetrated._

However… while Commander Zero may not be blamed for sticking to our protocols, it remains a fact that the war we fought on those two fronts, diminished our numbers greatly. Said the first officer, visibly trying to make a point. War, which eventually culminated with Repliforce's last desperate gambit… their flight for Final Weapon.

**And despite everything that the commander has brought to light regarding this incident, I am afraid that what happened at the spaceport still remains a mystery to me. Considering the forces that had been assigned to Commander Signas, there's absolutely no way that Repliforce could have made it to outer space. Would you care to enlighten us, Commander Zero?**

_**Sir, I'm sorry, but I doubt that I am in any position to tell you anything more than what I already told you… You see, Signas was the one in charge of securing the spaceport, not me.**_

**That may be, but given the testimonies that we have heard until now, we are curious to hear what you have to say regarding this battle.**

_**Well, Sir…**_ Answered the female reploid, weighing her words as she went on. _**To be honest, my unit and I weren't allowed to take part in the fight until the very last moment; when Repliforce eventually managed to escape. If you ask me, Commander Signas wasted valuable time making sure that everyone else was prepared, time that would have been much better spent on catching up with them before they headed for outer space. I sincerely believe that he was unable to recognize the urgency of the situation we were in and that he failed to take advantage of all the resources he had at his disposition…**_

_How so? How exactly did Commander Signas fail to make use of the resources he had on hand?_

The red hunter paused. _**… You see… Hm… It's not like he really failed to use them, but rather, he failed to use them in such a way that they could be used to the maximum of their abilities… You see, my unit was left behind for the greater part of the battle in order to allegedly cover our retreat in case something went wrong. However, you must understand, that we, the 0****th**** Unit, are renewed for our abilities at guerrilla warfare; expertise, which I believe may have granted us the edge we needed to take on Repliforce overly trained soldier…**_

While I certainly would not DARE to question the capacities of your unit; you do realize that in the end, the assault did backfire; and as such, your presence was warranted to ensure that as many of your comrades as possible made it to safety?

_**Maybe…**_

Then, pardon me if I do not understand, but given the orders you were asked to fulfill, why did your commanding officer order you to go and join them on the frontlines, while it was clear that your presence was warranted elsewhere?

Up until now, Zero had easily managed to worm herself out of any situation that might have compromised her; but now, she had little choice but to tell the truth, lest someone else do it in her place… _**He did not. Repliforce's last shuttle was on the verge of making it to space, and my commanding officer was nowhere to be found as more and more hunters came back from the front; if there was even the silver of a chance that Repliforce could be stopped, then, we had to try.**_

The trio of officers was left completely speechless upon hearing what the red hunter had just said. **What you are trying to say… Is that despite witnessing the very reason why you were ordered to remain behind; you still decided to take the fight to Repliforce, on your own. Knowing fully well that doing so was in direct violation to your orders, and at the detriment of your own comrades who were desperately trying to escape?!**

_**What else was I supposed to do?! If my commanding officer had done his job correctly, then I would never have had to do so. Someone HAD to stop Repliforce; you know that just as much as I do!**_

"Enough!" Yelled the three High Commanders in unison; however, the red hunter would have none of it. _**No, I won't shut up! Surely you're not suggesting that I should have just remained back there and allow them fire the Weapon to our face?! What kind of twisted logic is that?!!!**_

**Silence, Commander! While we perfectly understand the reasons behind your actions, you cannot just expect us to remain silent before such blatant insubordination. In fact, did your unit really manage to make a difference in trying to stop Repliforce's last shuttle? What kind of results did you hope to achieve with such misplaced heroism?!**

_**I… I…** _The female reploid was at a loss for words; she knew that what she had done out there was necessary, but how could they possibly understand what was really at stake when all they could do was shove evidence of her guilt to her face.

**I will tell what you have accomplished, NOTHING. All that you have managed to do by disobeying orders was to recklessly endanger the hunters whose lives you had been entrusted with! I would ask you to keep that in mind, Commander.**

**_I… I'm sorry, Sir. But I… I merely did what anyone else would have done in my position… I knew fully well the danger to which I was exposing them; in fact, I had even taken measures to ensure that someone would lead them safety, in case something ever happened to me._**

Yes, we do are aware of that fact; what worries us, is that you still continued to chase after Repliforce, even after your contingency plan was set in motion.

_I also regret to bring this up, but I can't help to wonder if you were not simply trying to deny yourself any responsibilities in the matter; should some misfortune actually befall them._

**In fact, I wonder why we even bother to debate this with you; when we can clearly see within this file, that you choose to overrule the chain of command that governed your unit; to instead give full decisional power to a D-Class hunter, no less!**

**_But sir!_** Zero tried to explain. **_I must stop you there, because the person I choose wasn't merely a D-Class hunter… In fact, considering her accomplishments and the skills she demonstrated in dealing with Web Spider and his cronies; I don't see how you can even question her abilities to deal with such dangerous situations. I'm sorry to bring this up, but I even recall submitting you a request to re-class her, along with two of her associates, to B-Class._**

_Officer #1?_

Quickly looking over the said request, the younger officer replied. That is indeed correct… Though you will still be held fully accountable for…

_However… I believe that we are drifting off subject there; discussing Commander Zero's shortcomings is NOT the reason why we have summoned her today. So I believe it would be in our best interest to move on, is this acceptable?_

**Certainly, all in due time…** Remarked the middle-aged officer as he browsed back within the transcript of her previous report. **Leaving aside the reasons which led to the escape of your unit… You did mention earlier, that your spotter went missing, shortly after the assault on the spaceport was ordered; following which she disappears entirely from the transcript. As you are well aware, spotter Iris was lent to us by the Repliforce, prior to the coup perpetrated by the renegade faction; while her skills as a spotter are not to be questioned, it appears that her… uncertain status somehow eluded us for the remainder of the Repliforce War. May I be so bold as to ask you what were your thoughts about her?**

_**Iris is… was…**_ The red hunter took a moment to regain her composure. _**Iris was kind, reliable, and efficient… Honestly, I'd probably be dead right now, if it weren't for her. I really couldn't have asked for a better spotter… Or friend for that matter.**_

_Then, at that time, were you not in the least bit preoccupied about possible ties she may still have had with the Repliforce?_

**_With all due respect Sir, this is a loaded question…_**

Commander, please, answer the question.

**_Well… … … The relationship that unites a hunter and his spotter is quite unique… as you, no doubt well know. Of course, I was aware that she used to work for Repliforce; but I trusted her… If I did not believe that she was on our side, then I certainly would never have been able to perform the way I did until now._**

**Really? Well, considering the fact that her position as a spotter gave her access to highly classified information; we must ask you, Commander; where is Iris today?**

Zero could have told them the truth, she could have blurted out all she knew about Iris then, but what difference would it make now? They did not have to know what really happened in Final Weapon, let alone her own ties with Colonel. So, what other choice did she have? She lied. **_She… She's dead._** But of course, why would they care, to them they were little more than numbers. **_She died within my own arms, victim of collateral damage that occurred when the main generator of Final Weapon was blown to smithereens._**

I see, this explains quite a lot… As a matter of fact, we regret to inform you that we have discovered some evidences that leads us to believe that spotter Iris may have been leaking information to the Repliforce Army.

**_What?!_**

Our scientists are still trying to decipher what little that remains of this recording. Suffice to say, she was very thorough in covering her traces; but it appears that spotter Iris was still in contact with a very high ranked officer of the Repliforce, whom we have not been able to identify for the time being. I must assume that you were not aware of that fact?

Could it be? Could the high command have really managed to retrieve the message that Colonel had sent her? **_No, I was not…_**

… … … So be it… Now, let's move on to more important matters… Refusing to follow the orders of a superior officer, you then recklessly pursued the Repliforce flagship all the way into space, where you crashed into their makeshift headquarters; the space station Final Weapon… Which leads me to ask you this one question, commander, why? 

**_I… I don't really have anything more to add Sir… Someone HAD to stop Repliforce; and the way things were going, it seemed like it HAD to be me…_**

_And why exactly would you do something like that, miss Zero, surely no one in their right mind would ever think about storming an entire space station by themselves… I must admit that we have avoided that question on purpose until now, but now, I believe now is an as good time as any to ask you, what was the nature of your relationship with Repliforce?_

**_I don't really know what you expect me to say, Sir…_**

_It's quite simple; simply tell us how you felt about Repliforce back then._

But of course, Zero's head was too mixed up to even begin to formulate a satisfactory answer. Colonel, Iris, General, Sigma, she only had to take her pick; but then, did they really needed to know that? **_I'm sorry Sir, I can't answer this. They were a threat; to the earth, to the maverick hunters and to me; that's all there really is to it._**

**You do realize that this may be held against you later on, Commander?**

**_I do…_**

Fine. Whatever your reasons were, it remain a fact, that you pretty much crippled the entire station all on your own; which is quite impressive considering the resources that were at your disposition at the time. While we can safely assume that most of it is due to collateral damage, you did manage to make it all the way to the bridge, confront and dispose of the one that had been behind it all; the General of the Repliforce…

**_Sir, I thought I had made it clear before, that is not entirely the case…_**

**Really? Then do go on, Commander. I must that I, myself, am very curious about what you have to say on this matter.** Replied the middle-aged reploid.

**_I did not kill General; the latter had managed to escape my grasp, almost as soon as the main cannon of the space station was activated._**

Which he triggered himself…

**_No. He did not; by then, the General had already ordered the evacuation of the space station. As I have mentioned before, there was someone else… inside the station, who had already managed to take direct control of the cannon…_**

Then, enlighten us, commander? Who, beside the very leader of the Repliforce, could have pulled off a stunt like that?

**_I thought that I had made myself clear the first time around… … … It was Commander Sigma, of the 17__th__ Elite Unit… He's the one who had been pulling the strings this whole time; from the fall of Sky Lagoon through Magma Dragoon, up to the Repliforce War itself… I don't really understand what his motives were, but he was the one who rewired their cannon; he was the one who tried to wipe out everything that was alive from the face of the earth…_**

Much to the red reploid's surprise, none of them seemed particularly interested in what she tried to make them understand, in fact they were barely listening to what she was saying.

**Finally! We get to the center of the issue here!** Said the High Commander sitting in the center of the desk.

**_Sir, if I may, that's what really happened out there; there was far too much radiation around the cannon for me to even attempt to destroy it; my brain would have been fried on the spot if I had chosen to do so. All I know, is that someone activated the self-destruct mechanism and I just happened to be there…_**

**And who would be kind enough to do that? Please, go ahead Commander; I look forward to hearing what you have to say.** Asked Officer #2 as his colleagues looked away in order to avoid having anything to do with the mess that was brewing,

**_I have no idea; I can only assume that someone from Repliforce did…_**

**And how can you seriously expect us to believe that, Commander?**

**_What are you trying to imply?!_ **Asked the angered reploid.** _Why would I lie about something as important as that?!_**

**Well… You and A-Class Hunter X do have a certain… penchant, for bringing him up every time something loosely affiliated to mavericks happens… While it cannot be denied that the latter was indeed responsible for the first global maverick revolt that occurred, along as quite possibly having something to do with the events of Doppler Town; there is little to corroborate your sayings besides your own words, now, isn't it? So, how are we supposed to give any kind of credit to such wild theories when you have nothing to show for it?**

**_Dragoon… Magma Dragoon admitted right to my face that he was the one responsible for the fall of Sky Lagoon; and before he died, he told me himself that there was someone who had told him that if he went along with his plan, he would be able to test his mettle against us!_**

**That old story? This can easily be discarded as maverick talk; he did try to kill you, did he not? Surely, he would never have even considered sending Sky Lagoon to the ground if he was in his right mind.**

**_What about that maverick that X encountered shortly before we began to fight against Repliforce? Or Double, for that matter? He admitted, out of his own volition to X, that Sigma had sent him to spy upon us this whole time!_**

**But then again, these are merely speculations, as A-Class Hunter X has already admitted to us that Double hadn't specifically said that former commander Sigma had anything to with this; and he also was, a maverick. In fact, all that we have to show for it, is your own word, and some maverick ramblings. This time around, neither of you can actually confirm what the other has heard or seen; so how can you expect us to believe you when Repliforce was clearly the only one pulling the strings this whole time? You and the members of your unit even confirmed that your former second-in-command, Web Spider, had ties with Repliforce. How hard would it have been for them to contact any of those reploids and do the exact same thing, Commander? How?**

**_I know what I saw, how can you even doubt me after I went through so much; to do what, obviously, none of you peoples were even capable of doing?!_**

**Paranoia, lengthy exposition to the maverick virus, discrediting Repliforce of any responsibility to honor the memory of your spotter and perhaps also magnify your own achievements in order to compensate for your shortcomings… The list keeps going on and on and on. But surely, we can all clearly see that this is going nowhere, so I suggest that we take our leave…**

Indeed, I believe that Commander Zero has already given more than enough information for us to formulate our own conclusions.

_I agree as well… _Said the old gentlemen as he rose from his seat. _But first, I would like to extend our gratitude and those of our entire organization to you, miss Zero…We appreciate your input in this investigation, and I do believe that what we have heard from you, until now, will help us bring this matter to a swift conclusion…_

**_I'm sorry, Sir?_** She said, visibly trying to understand how they could deal with such an important matter in such an expeditious way. **_But, that's it? I'm free to go?_**

I am afraid that this is not the case. While, you do have our gratitude for your cooperation thus far; I'm afraid that we must first compare and discuss the evidences you have brought to light with the other testimonies that we have heard up until now…

**As you no doubt understand, the situation we are in is quite tricky right now; I need not to remind you that your involvement in this matter requires us to place you in temporary detention until we are capable of giving you further instructions regarding the aftermath of this crisis. So, given the circumstances, you are to remain here for the time being. Am I making myself clear, Commander?**

**_Yes, Sir…_**

Very well… We shall be back shortly…

* * *

**Author's Ramblings:**

Frankly… That chapter is probably one of the main reasons why it took so long for me to update prior to chapter 41. Originally, this chapter was about twice as long and essentially went over the entire Repliforce Arc; and truth is, I didn't want to spend 4-5 chapters entirely on that subject. So instead, I decided to do it in two shots and clean it up just enough so I could still make my point.

Needless to say, I went entirely with my gut feeling on that one, because it did not entirely serve any purpose to the story; but was still important, because it essentially wrap up all that has been said during the past twenty chapters. Having raised the pitch so high for Megaman X4, it is a fine line to walk for what essentially a Zero story; though I had hinted several times that Zero would have to answer for her actions during the Repliforce War, it is somewhat counter-intuitive to remove the spotlight from her and instead aim it to the Hunter's themselves.

This chapter adds a whole different layer to the story; in that, it is so easy to get sucked in Zero's perspective because we are essentially living those events through her own eyes. Up to this day, I had depicted the Maverick Hunters and the High Command as some sort of monolithic hierarchy, that essentially allowed their hunters to do as they saw fit; and this, is a great opportunity to delve into their mindset and see things from a whole different perspective.

For instance, why didn't they do anything about Iris, after that General had set the coup in motion? And for that matter, what proof do we really have that Sigma had anything to do with this whole thing? Sure, his presence in Megaman X and X3 is undeniable, but what about X2 or X4?

Sure, both X and Zero saw him inside the X-Hunters base toward the end of X2, but for X4 it is not entirely that clear. In fact, the only reason he was there was that the game needed a boss; that was all there was to it. The whole storyline of Megaman X4 could easily have been done without him; all that they needed to do was to buff General and that was it. He was entirely accessory to that game and while it is hard to argue about his presence, when you have to down him three times in a row, it is also true that both ending implies that only X or Zero were on Final Weapon at that specific point in time. So here's some food for the thoughts; was he really there? Are X and Zero just a bunch of liars? Frankly, after writing this, I'm not entirely sure…

**Preview:**

The Grand Investigation is over, and the High Command of the Maverick Hunters have finally come to a conclusion. For the first time since the Repliforce War ended, Zero is forced to confront the repercussion of her actions, while her own life and future hangs in the balance. What do the three High Commander's have in store for our female heroine? And is the world truly ready to grasp the full extent of what she has revealed during the investigation? Next Chapter: Malleable Truth (Part 2).


	43. Malleable Truth Part 2

Chapter 43

Malleable Truth (Part 2)

And so, after what was arguably one of the most stressful ordeal of her life, Zero once again, found herself alone. Free to contemplate what had just been said, as the cameras hidden in the ceiling, stalked her every movements.

Of course, while the female reploid had been instrumental in dealing with the threat posed by Final Weapon; she had to admit that most it had more to do with luck than with anything else. Were it for the fact that General had initiated the self-destruction sequence of the space station, she would probably never have been capable of stopping the weapon in time… And as if this weren't enough, they were on the verge of discovering the connection between her, Iris and Colonel.

The future looked very dark indeed for Zero, and little did she know, that this was only the tip of the iceberg.

When the three High Commanders came back, the middle-aged officer spoke. **We are finally done making sense of what you have told us until now; do you have anything more that you would like to say before we continue, Commander?**

Unsure what he was expecting from her, the female hunter replied. **_No, I do not._**

**Very well then; Commander Zero, you are hereby placed under arrests as per the conventions of a court martial…** Said the tall officer, under the confused gaze of the red reploid.

**_What?!_**

**I must once again advise you to remain silent for the time being; you will speak only when addressed to or when someone asks you a question.**

Zero had no idea what to respond to this, she knew that she would have to eventually face up to those peoples, but to be court martialed… … … Unfortunately, what she had feared had finally come to pass… **Now, as is proper for your status as a maverick hunter, you are expected to answer truthfully to whichever questions we may deem worthy of asking you. Furthermore, this status also exempts you from having an attorney and given the circumstances, you will willingly submit yourself to our own judgment to the detriment of that of your own peers…**

Also, you have the right to refuse to answer any of our questions; however, should you choose to make use of that right, we reserve ourselves the right to interpret your refusal as an admission of guilt over the said charge. As expected, everything that you have said from the point you walked into this room may and WILL be used against you; in the event that we find you guilty of the charges pressed against you. Do you understand, Commander?

**_I do…_**

**Now, before we begin, I am obligated to state that this trial will encompass only the period spanning from the coup perpetrated by Repliforce up to the destruction of the space station, Final Weapon…**

_Indeed; in the light of the services you have rendered to our organization and the multiple disciplinary actions that you have been submitted to, prior to this period; it has been decided, out of a common accord, that you would be tried entirely upon your actions of the past few month._

However, do keep in mind, that in the event that you are found guilty of any of those charges; you are expected to give us the same courtesy by taking full responsibility for your crimes and submit yourself to any punishment that this court orders.

**So, I am going to ask you this only once, Commander… **Said the second officer, rising from his chair. **Are you prepared to face up to the justice of the maverick hunters?**

**_I am._**

**And do you swear to say the truth and only the truth?**

**_I do…_**

**Very well… Officer #3?! Please enumerate the charges pressed against the defendant.**

_Ahem… _Coughed the oldest of the three reploids as new holograms appeared before each one of them. _Commander Zero of the 0__th__ Stealth Unit… You are hereby being charged with the following infractions according to several articles of the protocols of the maverick hunters: Insubordination, Disobeying a direct order from a superior officer, Mutiny, Reckless behavior in the face of the enemy; two charges of Negligence, one for allowing a B-Class hunter, or the equivalent, to take control of your own unit, and another for willingly exposing the hunters, under your command, to danger when it was clear that the battle had already been lost; Violation of the Maverick Hunters protocols by attempting to pursue Repliforce into space, Failure to comply with an order to stand before the High Command, Failure to report the actions and demise of a fellow Maverick Hunter to the proper authorities, and Assault on one of your peers… … …_

Ten charges… That was far more than anything Zero could have ever dreamed of… And the worst part was, she could not possibly justify half of them…

**Now, in the interest of time, this trial shall follow the rules of a speedy trial… Officer #1 over here will repeat each charge one after another; at which moment you will respond "Guilty" or "Not guilty" as the situations call for. In the event that you respond "Not guilty", you will be allowed a statement to justify your actions, statement which will be taken into consideration when we deliver our verdict over the said charge. Are you prepared to do so, Commander?**

It wasn't like they were giving the female reploid much of a choice in the matter, so she answered._ **Yes.**_ Yet, seriously, how could they do that to her??? This was how they thanked her for doing exactly what she was told for all those years?

The younger-looking officer then began. Insubordination, in questioning the leadership of a superior officer.

**_Guilty._**

Disobeying the order of a superior officer, by leaving your post to pursue Repliforce.

**_Guilty._**

Mutiny, in trying to stop Repliforce from reaching outer space when you had been clearly instructed to do otherwise.

**_Guilty; someone HAD to stop Repliforce._**

Negligence in giving the decisional power to a B-Class hunter or the equivalent when individuals much more suited for that purpose were available at the time.

**_Not guilty; the maverick hunter I had left in charge had more combat experience than the A-Class hunters I had on hand. _**

Negligence in willingly exposing the hunters under your command to danger, when the situation was clearly hopeless.

**_Not guilty, while our commander had given up on trying to stop Repliforce from reaching outer space, I did not. I gave them the choice to follow orders or to follow me, and THEY decided to join me._**

Violation of the Maverick Hunters protocols by attempting to pursue Repliforce into space.

**_Guilty, if I hadn't chosen to do so, the threat of Final Weapon would still be hanging upon our heads and might still be threatening the Earth._**

Failure to comply with an order to stand before the High Command.

**_Guilty, I was in no position to do so; after all I had to go through to stop Final Weapon and the death of my spotter._**

Failure to report the actions and demise of a fellow Maverick Hunter to the proper authorities; we are, of course, referring to your inability to report spotter Iris's death along with her, still standing, ties to Repliforce.

**_Not guilty; I had no idea that she was still in contact with Repliforce until I found her inside Final Weapon. I would also like to restate that I was in no condition to report that fact when I came back._**

Assault on the person of spotter Wire of the 0th Stealth Unit, for no apparent reason than to cause harm to the victim.

It was then that Zero realized that there was only one charge of assault pressed against her in that trial… While he had all the reasons to report that fact back then, X had neglected to report what had happened back then… … … The female reploid took a pause to gather her wits, but the High Commander in charge of the trial was growing impatient and said. **Commander, answer the question.**

**_Guilty._**

And that is all…

_Since the Commander has deemed it necessary to question the charges pressed against her, we shall proceed to a secret vote to determine her innocence or guilt in the matter; following which, we shall deliver our verdict. Please, be patient for the time being, Commander._

And so, the three High Commanders began discussing between each other through their respective computers in order to ensure that she did not hear them. Of course, the red hunter had far too much on her mind right now to care about what they were doing. This was so unfair, ever since the beginning of this mess, she had done everything in her power to stop Repliforce and yet she was being blamed for it. Despite having essentially saved the hunters from extermination at the hand of Final Weapon, she was getting punished for it. Was that really the way maverick hunters were supposed to do things?!

**Very well, Commander, I believe we have come to a consensus here…** Said the middle-aged High Commander.

**It has been determined that we did not have enough evidences to convict you for the charge of placing D-Class Hunter Mira in charge of the 0th Unit when the battle seemingly went against you. Therefore, as we have established that there is a reasonable doubt of your culpability in that matter, we have decided to drop this charge. As for the fate of spotter Iris, since you have personally confirmed her death through this hearing, we have decided to leave this charge hanging for the time being…**

Zero sighed, that surely would not be enough to clear her completely, but at least, that was better than nothing. **However, in the light of new evidences, we reserve ourselves the right to hold you accountable for this when we are done determining the nature of the ties she still had with Repliforce.**

Still, you have been found guilty of six out of eight charges that were against you. I must assume that you know the appropriate sentence in such a case, Commander?

**_Yes… Death…_ **Answered the female reploid.

_Then, we are obligated to ask you one last question, Commander; do you have anything more to say for your defense before we deliver our verdict?_

**_No… I do not._**

**Then, after hearing all that the involved parties had to say regarding this case; we have little choice but to deal with this situation in the only way we can possibly do. You have been found guilty of Insubordination, of Disobeying the direct order of a superior officer, of Mutiny, of Negligence, of Violating the protocols of the Maverick Hunters and of attempting an Assault on the person of C-Class spotter Wire. Given the evidences that have been demonstrated during this trial and the hearing of the Grand Investigation, the appropriate punishment cannot be denied… the death penalty.**

**_I knew it._** Said the red hunter clenching her fists on her sides. _… **After all the years I spent hunting mavericks for you guys… You still…?!**_

**HOWEVER…** Replied the middle-aged officer before Zero could do something that she would surely regret. **Given a certain number of circumstances that were beyond your control, it has been decided to spare you the death penalty until certain evidences are cleared.**

**_What?! So you were just?!!_**

Please control yourself, Commander; while our own verdict is indeed the accurate one, there are certain variables in play that we simply cannot ignore.

_Indeed, while you may have committed crimes that are unforgivable in the eyes of our organization; it remains a fact, that you did contribute to destruction of Final Weapon, and hence averted a catastrophe that would certainly have ended in a last confrontation between our hunters and Repliforce… We are currently way over our heads with all the trials that will have to be held to deal with the remnants of Repliforce that were captured, following the explosion of the space station. So, it has been decided that you are not to be chastised for your actions during this conflict, but rather, that you are to be given full credit for the destruction of the Weapon._

The female reploid simply could not believe what she was hearing… After screwing with her feelings this whole time and declaring a death sentence upon her head, they were just going to let her off the hook…?

**Furthermore, the new Supreme Commander of the Maverick Hunters has interceded in your favor, so given the circumstances we are faced with at the moment; we have agreed to a lighter sentence that we believe will prove satisfactory for all the parties involved.**

_While we certainly cannot overlook what you have done, we have decided to demote you back to S-Class as punishment for your actions during this war._

**From what we could gather, and the colossal task of giving a fair trial to all the members of the renegade faction that surrendered, we have decided to shift all of the responsibilities regarding this war to the General of Repliforce…**

**_But, Sir?! You can't possibly mean that?! What about Sigma?!_**

We do not want to cause any further panic now that the Repliforce War is over; for all we care, there is no evidence that former Commander Sigma had anything to do with the renegade faction, and as such, General will be held fully accountable for the actions of the Repliforce as a whole.

**_But… … … that's a lie!!_**

**Whether or not you agree with us has little to do with your current situation; from now on, it will be said that General himself attempted to use Final Weapon to wipe out all human life on the planet, in order to secure his play for independence. As for you, it will be said that you did not act alone, but under direct orders of the High Command and with the full backing of the Maverick Hunters. This is what the official report of the Grand Investigation will say, and this is what you will say as long as you remain alive…**

**_Then… what am I supposed to do now, Sir? Surely you can't expect to just walk away after what you've just told me?_**

**No, naturally; you are hereby stripped of your command rank and will be relegated to S-Class until some other matters are brought to a conclusion. Furthermore, you will undergo several disciplinary measures, which will HOPEFULLY knock some sense into your head. Your own demotion will take effect right after our own, following which you are expected to consult any computer at your disposition to get acquainted with your new affectation. This court is adjourned.**

**_Your own???_** She asked, as the three High Commanders prepared to leave the room.

_Despite the events that have been brought to light by the Grand Investigation and the conclusions it has produced, someone will have to face up to the humans regarding this mess. And as you have most graciously said before, it looks like it HAS to be us. We shall take full responsibilities for the choices that were made during the Repliforce War, while the Supreme Commander will take over the leadership of the Maverick Hunters. Once again, we thank you for your time, S-Class Hunter Zero, we shall not meet again…_

* * *

**Author's Ramblings:** You'd be surprised of all the stuff I learn while doing researches for chapters like that or for some of the elaborate fight scenes I have to map out for some chapters. One of the things that surprised me the most, is that the military of most countries, actually do have the right to sentence an individual to the death penalty if they are proven guilty of treason, mutiny or misbehavior in the face of the enemy; though most of them generally try to avoid that extremity.

Being an organization dedicated to the extermination of mavericks, the hunters wouldn't necessarily be averse to submit their own numbers to the death penalty; because there is a line that they just can't allow to be crossed, for that to do so, would essentially turn them into what they have been trying to eradicate. If anything, this chapter kind of grounds the whole Repliforce arc, since that Zero might have been limboing under that line until now, but from the point she went over it, it was already too late for her to come back.

However, that situation is completely messed up by the fact that she actually succeeded where the High Command could not. The hunters had faltered and someone had to go down to allow them to save face; and as such, it simply could not be her.

Again, I could probably have just crammed that chapter inside the previous one. But you know, before being the author of that FanFiction, I'm first and foremost, a reader; and frankly, I have a very short attention span when it comes to lengthy chapters; I mean, anything above four thousand words just isn't worth my time, and while I try to keep the story moving, sometimes it just works better to have a two-parter rather than try your patience with an insanely long chapter. Which is particularly true when we get to those, back to normal, chapters; before something end up being blown up again.

That is essentially what I'm doing here, I'm laying pipes for what's coming up and as is implied at the end of that chapter, things ARE going to change.

**Preview:** The times are changing; with the High Command gone, a new leader steps in to guide the Maverick Hunters into a new era of peace. Meanwhile, a confusion struck Zero attempts to make sense of it all as she, not only discovers her own role into that future; but also catch a glimpse of her own reflection through the eyes of others. Next Chapter: Mirror.


	44. Mirror

Chapter 44

Mirror

Following her last encounter with the High Command of the Maverick Hunters, a wave of confusion washed all over Zero as she struggled to figure out what was going on.

What did this all mean?

After this whole mess, everything was just going to resolve itself? Surely, the blond hunter could not possibly believe that this could be the case.

Ultimately, General and the High Command were going to serve as scapegoats for all of Sigma's machinations; while she, would only be losing her command rank. They weren't going brand her as a maverick; they weren't going to chastise her for having violated more than half of the hunters' protocols… No, nothing…

Something horribly wrong was brewing within the Maverick Hunters Headquarters, and frankly, the female reploid wasn't entirely sure how she was supposed to feel right now.

But of course, she had little choice in the matter; so, she did the only thing that she could do at a time like this; she headed to the command center in order to be re-assigned to her new affectation.

However, as she made her way there, the female reploid essentially bumped into Signas on her way there. The latter did not seem particularly happy or unhappy to see her; rather, he sounded like he had been expecting her. **Ah, Zero… … … I'm sorry to impose on you on such short notice, but I am going to have to ask you to come with me, immediately…**

_**Huh?… **_Replied Zero as she tried to figure out just what was up with him, but before she could say anything more, Signas interrupted her and answered. **This is not negotiable, so please hurry; we are keeping very important peoples waiting.**

And so, before she knew it, the female reploid found herself in tow behind the tall officer, on her way to an undisclosed location; completely unaware, of what exactly he had in mind.

It was cold inside this hallway; after having badmouthed him during the Grand Investigation, she found herself forced to cooperate with him once more. For reasons that she could not decipher, Signas seemed to have been promoted, as evidenced by several upgrades he had received along with the much more sophisticated outfit he was wearing now. Changes, which did little but rub her the wrong way as they headed toward their destination.

Obviously, Zero had absolutely nothing to say to him after what happened at the spaceport; and as such, had assumed that the feeling was mutual. However, the latter instead choose to break the silence that had settled between them. **I heard about the loss of your command rank through the bureaucratic channels; I am sorry for your loss…**

Unsure what to respond to that remark. _**Thank you… I suppose… I don't really mind though; I didn't really care all that much about it anyway.**_

**Still, I hear that you worked quite a bit in order to obtain that promotion.**

_**I'm a tough girl, I'll manage.**_

**Is that so.** He said, as he passed his credentials through a door that they had just reached.

For some reasons, the female reploid did not seem to have any clue as to where he was taking her… Actually, once they were inside, she had a feeling that this part of the headquarter was entirely new, though she did not really bother to ask, since maverick hunters were usually pretty quick at that kind of stuff.

Once they had taken a few steps in, the blank stares of the peoples inside made it clear that unlike him, Zero stuck out like a sore thumb in there; suggesting that Signas was probably a regular visitor within those installations.

The two persons inside, were actually of much more interest to the red hunter than the multitude of screens they were sitting behind. One of them, a female reploid, particularly caught her attention due to her striking resemblance to Theta; while her pink navigator suit gave her away, Zero was surprised at just how attractive she was compared to the other spotters. Indeed, her azure eyes and the long blond hairs resting upon her shoulders, would generally have led the female hunter to dismiss her as somewhat frivolous; however, an undeniable trace of confidence within her gaze and the number of monitors on her desk, led her to believe that perhaps there was more to her than met the eye.

As for the male reploid sitting across the room between several contraptions, he could easily have been mistaken for just about any other Lifesaver… But aside from his, mostly white, armor and the sophisticated lens over his right eye; his only defining features might have been to be the rocky aspect of his face and the furnished beard he harbored.

However, as Zero kept following Signas, she heard a familiar voice coming from the female reploid's post. **Zero! **X had left out upon realizing her presence.

Of course, his flashy armor wouldn't have been that hard to spot under normal circumstance; but considering the huge number of screens she would have had to bypass in order to notice him, Zero was quite startled when the male reploid rushed to her side and assaulted her with questions. **Zero, you're OK… What are you doing here? How did it go? What did the High Command say?**

But unfortunately, the female hunter found herself unable to keep up with all the questions that the blue reploid was asking her, and looked up to Signas for , the tall officer caved in and replied. **I had hoped to save this for later, but I suppose that some introductions are in orders… S-Class Hunter Zero, this is the new Crisis Cell of the Maverick Hunters Headquarter… Alia…** He said, gesturing toward the blue-eyed woman sitting behind her desk. **This is Zero, formerly the commander of the 0****th**** Stealth Unit. Alia is our primary navigator here, and though we might have a few things to clear out before this can happen, I believe that the two of you are bound to run into each other quite frequently, in the near future.**

_Pleased to meet you, Zero. _Said the blond navigator.

**And the man over here is Lifesaver; he, coincidently, used to be an officer within the Lifesaver corp, before joining the cell. He handles all of the medical cases here at the cell. **The bearded reploid nodded.

**And of course, there's X, who was recently promoted to S-Class, who has also agreed to join the cell at my demand. But of course, as you two know each other, I believe you already knew that…**

**Sir?** Asked X, interrupting him. **Does that mean that she…**

**That is entirely up to her, but first…** He replied, taking a furtive glance at the blond hunter next to him. **I believe that there is much we have to discuss… So, I'd like everyone to get back to work, we'll be back shortly.**

**Yes, Sir!**

Visibly confused, Zero allowed the tall officer to lead her to a small office not too far behind them, where he then asked her to sit down. However, the female reploid couldn't stop herself from asking. _**Alright, what's the deal with that Cell-thing you've been rambling about?**_

**Yes, yes, I am certain you have many questions to ask. But first… I would like to clarify certain things with you… I doubt that you are aware of this, but at this very moment, measures are being taken to restructure the whole chain of command of our organization…** Signas took a pause to ensure that she was still following him. **As you may know, the High Command has been relieved of its position as leaders of the Maverick Hunters. And, as we speak, the process to transfer the decisional power to someone else has already been initiated…**

_**And what does this has to do with me? Or you, for that matter?**_

**Ever since that fiasco with Repliforce, I understand that there has been some trust issues between us and the humans; they are beginning to question whether or not the hunters are fit to deal with the threat that the Mavericks represents… So the decision was made to appoint someone else at the head of the hunters, a new Supreme Commander who will have absolute control upon our whole organization… To be blunt, this person happens to be me…**

_**You?!**_ Yelled Zero, unable to believe that they would have put someone like HIM in charge of something as important as the Maverick Hunters.

**I understand that this may come as a shock for you… However, it appears that they believe that my background as a private investigator and the time I spent serving under Sigma will prove an asset to our organization. Furthermore, it appears that peoples in high places were quite pleased with the way I handled the assault on the spaceport; so they upgraded me with a highly advanced CPU and here I am. **

_**And that… Crisis Cell-thing???**_

Signas explained. **Simply put, the purpose of this Crisis Cell is to deal with cases that regular maverick hunters are unable to deal with. If there is something that we have learned during the events of Doppler Town and the Repliforce War, is that the hunters were ill-prepared to face the global threat posed by the mavericks; and in creating that cell, I am hoping to fix just that…**

_**And X and all of those peoples are…?**_ She asked.

**All members of the cell; whom I have handpicked myself… Alia has collaborated with the hunters on many occasions in the past, and has agreed to join the cell as our primary navigator; plus, I do believe that her scientific input will prove invaluable in the future. As for Lifesaver, it was really a no brainer, he is the only known expert on the Sigma Virus that we have; which will make him well suited to monitor the degree of viral infection that our hunters encounters on the field.**

**_Which is, I assume, why you took X in?_**

He smiled. **Yes, in a way, it is… X's reputation is no longer to be made; he has repeatedly proved himself in the field, bringing justice to countless mavericks, something that few can actually brag about. X has a lot of potential as a hunter, and as such, will serve as our trump card in case something ever comes up. We also have Douglas, our mechanic DASH engineer, whom you haven't had the chance to meet yet, whom will take care of all of our needs in logistics. Only one thing is missing though… …. … You.**

**_Huh?!!!_**

**I have browsed through your file Zero, and I have also had the opportunity to see you in action plenty of times; you have a reputation for not following any other rules but your own…**Signas began. **I know that you don't like my methods, and I'm not too fond of yours either… However, if we could somehow overcome those differences, I do believe you would make quite an asset for the cell.**

Zero never believed that something like this would happen. This was why the High Command had decided to spare her; Signas was the one who had interceded in her favor, essentially saving her life just so she could join this Crisis Cell of his. She had absolutely no idea why someone, especially HIM, would do something like that. **_But, Sir! There must be some other hunters that are more qualified than me for this, so… Why choose me?_**

**I think you don't quite understand the situation we're in, Zero… The Repliforce War may be over, but we have suffered so many casualties, that we may well never recover from this war… … … With the 14th Unit gone, we no longer have the means nor the numbers to maintain the units anymore; you've seen it, don't you? The only one left was your own, and it has essentially been decimated. Losing a single maverick hunter would prove catastrophic at this point.**

"Dragoon… … …" Though the blond hunter as the tall officer tried to explain the urgency of their situation. This is what he was trying to say… This Cell, this new Supreme Commander; this was why she was stripped from her command rank. He had known it all along; this was why he had chosen to defect. **But all is not lost.** Continued Signas. **We have hunters who are still loyal to the humans, and I am certain that the old members of your unit will make fine hunters, given time. But the fact remain, that our situation is quite bleak… ... ... Which is why we have chosen to take away the blame from Repliforce…**

**_You don't mean to…_**

**Yes, in due time, Repliforce shall be forgiven… … … While the difference between us and the officers of the renegade faction may be irreconcilable, the same could not be said for the lower end of their chain of command. All the survivors of the Repliforce Army will be given a fair trial, and those whom we believe still represents a danger, will be executed…**

This could not be, the Supreme Commander couldn't possibly be serious… **While those who do not, will be given a choice; those who agrees to cooperate with us shall be spared, while those who don't, will be allowed to reintegrate society if they agree to commit to very drastic security measures. In doing so, we hope to assimilate Repliforce within our own organization and prevent any such insurrections in the future. From a certain point of view, the Maverick Hunters and the Repliforce Army aren't so different; and I believe that there is a place here for peoples who want to protect both humanity and reploids…**

**_Sir, I'm sorry, while I understand your point that you can't spare any hunters, I still don't understand what this has to do with me._**

**Isn't it obvious?** He asked. Y**ou get the job done; which is, unfortunately, far more than I can say of the hunters I currently have on hand… You bring solutions to problems that nobody else's can solve and you're willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done. And that, is exactly the kind of hunter we need right now.** Signas took a moment to regain his breath and went on. **Needless to say, I am well aware of your somewhat… peculiar… relationship with Repliforce… However, the Crisis Cell is an arm of our organization, that will be working completely independently from the Maverick Hunters; and therefore, I am willing to withdraw certain… questions, in exchange for your expertise and complete cooperation with the cell.**

It was then, that Zero realized, that she had no real choice in the matter… Whether he knew the full extent of her relationship with the renegade faction or not, mattered little at this point; it was only a matter of time before they managed to decipher the recording that Iris had left behind, and discovered evidences of her prior involvement with the second of Repliforce. That was the whole reason she was still allowed to draw breath; because he had needs of her abilities, and nothing more. **So what do you say Zero, will you lend your help to this Cell?**

Visibly upset over her lack of options in the matter, the red hunter answered. **_Fine, count me in…_**

_

* * *

_

**Author's Ramblings:**

There we are, we're finally moving on, and not a moment too soon I might add. I happen to have mentioned this before, but after having gone through so many changes throughout Megaman X4, its just sort of bizarre to suddenly come back to peaceful times… I mean, you don't want retcon everything you've done until now, which essentially forces you to constantly refer to it as being the base for what's happening right now; but there comes a time when its just like: "Enough, already!"

Needless to say, we're making a huge leap forward inside this chapter; and what I really like about it, is that it just seems to wrap everything together within a nice little package. And while the series in its entirety seems to sort of imply that at some point, X and Zero were essentially the only hunters left after all that had happened; one has to wonder, in what kind of state were the Maverick Hunters right after the Repliforce War?

This chapter essentially asks this hypothetical question, and perhaps answers it in its own way. With all of the infighting and crisis that they had gone through until now, maybe the hunters aren't doing so well...

**Preview:** Not all change is negative… or positive for that matter. Still, it was the beginning of a new life for Zero; yet now, as she gazes upon the image she reflects upon others; the path she must thread becomes blurrier by the second. How will she relate to the members of the Crisis Cell who are irreparably forcing their way into her life? What will X do when the ominous silence between them suddenly becomes more than just self-loathing? Next Chapter: Reflection.


	45. Reflection

Chapter 45

Reflection

Times were changing…

It could not be denied.

Now that the dust had finally settled down following the Repliforce War, the Maverick Hunters were now free to attend to more pressing matters, as Signas struggled to rebuild their organization.

However, much like the latter had foreseen, things were not going so smoothly, as to call these new reforms a success. Between the integration of Repliforce's volunteers and the complete disinterest, manifested by the earth's governments, into funding their activities; everything seemed to point out that, at one point or another, the hunters would fail… again.

Of course, how could things ever go right when sworn enemies were forced to work hand in hand, now that the war was over? The newly reformed hunters tended to keep to themselves, while the regular hunters did little to help ease their transition; and who could have blamed them? Leaving aside the fact that many of them had lost comrades to Repliforce's overly trained soldiers, the very idea of cooperating with the rabbles of the renegade faction was outrageous.

The first days in particular, were particularly painful; the behavior of the more unruly hunters had threatened to turn into a full blown riot, as the newly formed chain of command struggled to keep some semblance of order within headquarter. But unfortunately, this particularly eventful beginning, ended with the murder of one of the volunteers; and while an investigation was ordered shortly thereafter, neither groups seemed to believe that anything would ever come out of this.

For what it was worth, Zero might have been one of the few hunters who were truly sympathetic to the survivors' plight; not really because she was feeling any pity for them, but rather, because she didn't care…

As far as she was concerned, all that used to encompass Repliforce was gone; so from the moment that it was proved that they weren't mavericks, there was little point into looking any further. Truth is, she was somewhat submerged by all that was happening lately, and had a hard time making sense of it all.

Between her new life as a member of the Crisis Cell and all of this fuss about the demilitarization of space, the female Reploid had little interest for that kind of petty games. The colonization of space was all the new rage among the humans; having learned from the mistake that was Sky Lagoon, the scientific communities of the world instead shifted their sight to outer space. Eventually culminating with the construction of the very first Space Colony, Eurasia… with more of them underway.

Of course, the Maverick Hunters had also learned from their own mistakes; and as such, pushed for a complete disarmament of space; in order to prevent this new foray into the stars, from turning into another Final Weapon.

As a matter of fact, the Supreme Commander was greatly involved in this worldwide effort, which left the Cell all the more time to get used working together.

Today, in particular, was quite rewarding for everyone; as Alia came up with a Cyberspace simulation that was designed to help them work as a team.

To be honest, it was refreshing for both hunters to have true Navigator watching their back, as they made their way through the computerized environment. X, in particular, seemed to be doing extremely well in the beginning; however, it soon became clear that the blue-eyed reploid had more surprises in store for them, as the male hunter soon found himself locked in a firefight with what seemed to be a perfect copy of Magma Dragoon.

X struggled several minutes against the dragon-like maverick, but ultimately prevailed; and with quite a good score at that. Zero, on the other hand, was simply mind-blowing, as both reploids watched the simulation through their monitors. During the short lapse of time between his appearance and his untimely death, Dragoon had never been able to threaten her; and upon seeing her score, Alia said. _I can't… believe this… … … I'm the one who programmed it and she even beat my own…_

Which is when the female hunter finally came back to consciousness. _**How did I do?**_ She asked, not particularly interested in her reply.

_That's good enough… I guess… _Grumbled Alia, upset. _Honestly I can't believe it myself… I know that you've been a hunter for a long time, but I just can't figure out how you did that._

**You were great, Zero! **Interrupted the blue reploid. **I didn't know you got so good with that saber of yours.**

_**Whatever this hologram was, it wasn't even CLOSE to what Dragoon was capable of.**_

_You've fought him before?!_

_**I'm the one they asked to take him down.**_

Scratching her head, their navigator replied. _Yeah, that's probably what that is, I'll review the specs when I get the time… Well, I guess that's it for today, folks. Great job, guys._

_**Yeah, see you.**_ Said Zero, who was already leaving regardless of the confused expression on Alia's face.

**You too Alia, great job. Talk to you later.**

However, as they were both leaving, the female reploid remembered something that she had forgotten to ask. _Hm… Actually, X, there's something I'd like to go over with you before you leave; do you mind?_

X answered. **Alright, I'll be right there.** He then turned to the blond hunter, who looked at him as though she was displeased at this whole idea. **Go ahead, I'll be right up in a couple of minutes, OK?**

She shrugged. _**Whatever.**_

While her answer wasn't such a big deal, the way she said it and the speed at which she leaved, left the latter in the same confused state as Alia.

Realizing that she was gone, the navigator asked. _X..?_

The male reploid glanced back at her, as if nothing happened and said. **Oh, right, sorry.**

X joined the female navigator at her desk and then asked. **So, what did you want to talk about?**

_Actually…_ She explained. _You remember that thing I said about possibly upgrading the both of you with new armaments?_

**Yeah.**

_I've been looking some more into that Force Armor I spoke to you about; and I really think this could work, however…_

**However?**

_Well, to be blunt, I'd like to open you up to get an idea of how we can do this._

Filled with apprehension, he replied. **Ain't that a bit much…?**

_Yes, and I apologize for that; however, while your inner workings do fit with those of normal reploids, there are a few doodads with which I'm not exactly comfortable with, so I'd really like to have a look inside you before we get any further._

**Aren't the schematics sufficient to do that?**

_Normally… they are, but you must understand that we do not know that much about you... So the best way I can get a global feel of how you work; is to do just that, open you up._

**And when do you wanna do that?**

_While the equipment I have on hand isn't exactly what I would recommend for more complicated procedures, we can do this right now, if that's OK with you…_

**Sorry…** X protested. **Right now is… not OK with me. Take time to requisition everything you need and we'll do this later… alright?**

_Ok, then go ahead and do what you have to. I'm gonna stay here a little longer to go over that simulation again, looks like I'm in for an all-nighter…_

**Good night, Alia.**

_Good night, X._

---

"How much more pathetic can I get?" Rhetorically asked Zero, as she lied in bed.

True she hadn't done or said anything bad per say, but the thoughts she had these days were what was worrying her the most.

After all, she WAS pathetic.

To think that the high points of her days, were when X had this sick compulsion to check up on her, to see how she was doing.

The female reploid was so irremediably bored, now that she had resumed her duties as a maverick hunter; that she believed she might actually have killed for something exciting to happen… anything…

This was when she realized just how shallow and empty her life was before Theta suddenly decided to go maverick. A Maverick Hunter, that's all she was before, all she would ever be until she died; her days were spent doing various chores, going on exciting hunt for dangerous mavericks and later even leading her own unit of hunters. She couldn't have been any happier then.

Sure, working at the Crisis Cell wasn't so bad.

Signas was actually far less of a pain than he had led her to believe; even if old habits die hard, he insisted that they were a team now; and as such, there was no need for formalities. He actually respected and valued their opinions; a concept which had been entirely foreign to Zero until now.

And as for the engineer, Douglas, he was actually her favorite among the Cell. The former was somewhat obsessed with his craft and very enthusiastic about what he did; a single-mindedness that the blond hunter could certainly appreciate.

Alright, she wasn't exactly thrilled about Lifesaver and Alia, since the former was far too absorbed about his work to do anything else; while the later was friendly enough, even though there was something about her that really unnerved her.

But unfortunately, her workload had dramatically fallen now that she was with the Cell and had lost her command rank. True, she did try to take back up her old tinkering hobby, but soon discovered that she just was no longer into it.

So many of her friends had died… She missed just hanging out with Iris or sneaking out of the hunters' headquarter to see Colonel; but unfortunately, she could do none of these now. She wasn't just missing those two; she was over them now; or at least as much as she could be.

Maybe she had just changed… Or rather, something changed her. She was no longer content to just BE a Maverick Hunter; and perhaps this was exactly what was wrong.

Zero wasn't exactly sure what or who she was; to be perfectly honest, she liked to believe that no one was capable of describing themselves on their own; however, she did wish she had someone who could she tell her who she was right now.

They told her that she was a lousy Maverick Hunter, a liar for spreading tall-tales about Sigma, when it was THEY, who kept averting their eyes; they told her that she did not follow the rules and that she was willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done… But that just wasn't true… … …

If only she had someone… anyone, who could tell her who she truly was…

* * *

**Author's Ramblings:** We have a lot to discuss, so if you don't mind, we're gonna jump right back up to the ending of this chapter…

When it comes to reploid, it has always been an issue for me to figure out what it would be like to be a sentient robot like they are; for instance, do they even sleep? Do their lives resolve around anything more that working 24 / 7 ? And if that is the case, what do they do when that happens? Do they have some sort of currency that they can use to entertain themselves? Do they ever go shopping or see a movie? All questions that I had to ask myself at one point or another; and frankly, I don't think I've ever landed on anything good thus far.

Still, the fact remains, that Reploids are often built with a singular purpose in mind. Unlike humans, reploids aren't free to decide what they will do with their lives; and as stated before, Zero was a Maverick Hunter for as long as she could remember. So one has to wonder, if reploids are born with the certitude that they were made to accomplish a certain task, then why would they seek to improve their lot at one point on another?

Personally, I think that by becoming the Commander of her own Unit, Zero might secretly have been craving the approval of her superiors and entourage. Everyone is looking for a pat on the back every now and then, but what if it was constantly out of your reach, because this was what you were expected to do?

That is essentially why I believe she might be going through some sort of identity crisis at the moment. A Maverick Hunter, that's all she ever was; and now, she has come to the realization that she is no longer content to be just that.

Now, regarding the upcoming changes concerning this story; some of you might be aware of, that starting Chapter 46, the Font Dialog system will be replaced with quotations marks since the Document Manager has been getting a little fussy lately. Needless to say, I am aware that this has been brought up multiple times by reviewers, but to understand it properly, we need go back all the way back to 2006, when I started to work on my first FanFic. Back then, the story was being published on a Megaman Battle Network Roleplaying Forum, which lent itself a lot better to that kind of format, which was really helpful since I could identify each character dialogs with its own color; and frankly, I was a little lazy…

Anyway, back in the days, I made a post where I pitched the idea about Zero being a girl and as expected, nobody ever gave me an answer… Still, as usual, I trusted my gut and came up with the first two chapters after watching the Maverick Hunter X OVA. So why am I telling you all that? Well, The Crimson Maiden, is sort of the direct successor of the COPY Project; and back then, I used to believe that this kind of format gave it a nice sense of individuality that other stories did not have.

Frankly, when I look back at those early chapters, they were a complete mess; unlike those of KxC and Melody of Torment. But then I figured that I was probably better off maintaining the integrity of the story rather than reinvent the wheel. However, the recent issues I have experienced, made me realize that it was actually far more work fixing them than actually doing it right the first time around. So from now on, we're gonna go back to a much more standard format.

Also, if you've been following the Megaman news these days, then you might know that there has been a lot of talk about the upcoming Megaman 10 game, to be announced around the 22nd anniversary celebration of our beloved Blue Bomber. While I appreciated the idea of Megaman 9; I must say, very frankly, that I'm not too hyped about the recent sequels that have been made for the original series. It seems to me, that the story keeps getting cheesier (Wily getting Dr. Light arrested for the Robot Masters' mayhem, a brand new disease named Robotenza, that causes robots to overheat and go insane…) and I simply cannot endorse such blatant milking of such a successful franchise; those aren't anything close to the likes of Megaman 7 & 8 and hell, even Megaman & Bass is one of my favorite game ever… But this is more than I can take… Wily isn't even a proper villain anymore!

**Preview:** While Zero has to deal with the sentence imposed by the former High Command of the Maverick Hunters, Alia makes a break regarding X's new armor; prompting her to spend more and more time with him as she comes up with new designs. Who will win, when X and Zero face off against each other for the very first time? Next Chapter: Baptism of Fire.


	46. I Don't Like You

**Chapter 46**

I Don't Like You

* * *

Things were getting better for our heroine, or so she would have liked to believe.

The details of her sentence had finally been disclosed, and she now had to adhere to a strict schedule, if only to ensure that the Supreme Commander would stay off her back.

Truth of the matter is, she welcomed the perspective of a hard day's work; it would keep her mind off more depressing thoughts, which was a welcome respite, given the circumstances.

Only downside was, that she was no longer aware of what was going on within the Cell; and this haunted her daily, as she went back to rest every night. X hadn't really been paying much attention to her since then, not that he could have, but she had come to expect more from him by now.

Little did she know that Alia had recently made a huge breakthrough regarding X's Force Armor. With a solid base to work from, she was already working on new variations of the armor, which ended up becoming quite time-consuming for both reploids.

Of course, the female hunter didn't know that, but after a while, she was getting a little obsessed over what was happening.

So she followed them... it's not like she couldn't, he was as careless as ever; but when she realized the frequency at which they got together, she started to piece two and two together… …

* * *

From Alia's perspective, things were getting much more complicated.

She wasn't getting anywhere on the upgrade she had been working on for Zero, and ended up spending most of her funding on X's Falcon Armor prototype.

It's not like she wasn't trying or anything, she was one of the best in her field; but she had come to expect better from herself. Still, there was little that could be done to address that…

And as if that wasn't more than enough, what she once qualified as social awkwardness, was turning into a real nightmare; whenever she was forced to interact with the red maverick hunter.

At first, the female reploid's attitude was bearable, but now it was on the edge of downright hostility.

Under normal circumstances, she wouldn't have cared; but this was really starting to suck the life out of her, and made it truly difficult for her to concentrate. Alia supposed that she was agreeable enough when the others were around, but as soon as they were away from prying eyes, she could feel fiery darts lodging themselves behind her back.

Our navigator had to figure out something, anything to force a confrontation between the two of them. And as far as she knew, the weapon upgrade she had been working on was the only card she had.

Evidently, she had been tackling this whole problem from the wrong angle. Forming an unified theory on Zero's inner workings was pointless at this point in time, but subtracting from the frame wasn't entirely out of the question.

It had been done before, and in time, she came up with the perfect weapon design to justify rummaging inside her.

It took some convincing to get Zero to agree to the modification, but eventually, she caved in.

Of course, the latter made little efforts to hide that she wasn't exactly pleased to be there; but that was inconsequential in the larger picture.

Alia beckoned her to a chair she had specially prepared for her, and brought her equipment and own seat before asking. "I am going to need you to extend your right arm toward me…" The female reploid executed herself. "Great, now open your palm toward the exterior… Good."

Our navigator locked her upper arm tightly, so that she wouldn't be able to move during the procedure and picked up her instruments from nearby. With that out of the way, Alia tore open the metallic surface of her limb and started working toward undoing the mechanism that locked her forearm in place. "It is getting hard to get a handle of you; I hear Signas has been running you out a lot lately." Alia began, trying to force small talk.

"Yeah." Answered Zero, visibly uninterested.

Of course, the female navigator had been expecting that much; still, she went on. "It is sort of weird not to have you around; because you know…"

"You don't have to do this." Her subject replied, interrupting her in mid-sentence.

"What?" Said Alia, startled, as she was about to break through the first safety lock.

"Don't pretend to care… The only reason I'm here, is because the Commander coaxed me into doing so; just get to the point of what this upgrade is all about or get on with whatever it is you're doing."

Evidently, our blond navigator realized that even though they were sitting face to face, they couldn't have been further apart. "Hm… Alright, basically, I am just going to replace your forearm with a more advanced prototype of Buster arm…"

"Wait a minute!" Interrupted the red hunter. "We've been over this! I don't want a new Buster arm. I'm not willing to sacrifice the slightest bit of coordination, no matter how powerful you say that thing might be."

"You will be able to perform exactly as you did before." She explained. "Experimenting with a lighter alloy, I have been able to come up with a design that will essentially allow you to make use of this Buster, without sacrificing any of your motor skills."

"You've gotta be kidding me. Sure, it might be as light as you want; this doesn't change the fact that it's still there. It's going to throw off my motion entirely."Her subject answered, annoyed.

"Well, it won't necessarily be on par with what you were used to; since we had to compromise the weapon's energy cell. But, it should only be marginally noticeable." The female navigator said, removing the old arm and distantly placing it back onto the tray.

From there, the silence settled back in between the both of them. Zero had nothing more to say to her, and while she wasn't looking, Alia was beginning to feel her gaze burning through her forehead. "You don't like me…" She said, bluntly.

Taken aback by this sudden statement, our maverick hunter tried to come up with a proper response; but all she could come up with sounded like gibberish. "Hm… huh…"

"You don't have to waste your time on answering; it's obvious enough. What I don't understand, is why?" The female navigator asked, awkwardly. "I don't even know you… At times, it's like you're not even trying to hide it…"

"… … … So that's what this is all about." Replied Zero, visibly exasperated at having to sit through this. "That so-called upgrade, was just a pretext to get me talking?"

She then went on. "Fine. I... don't like you."

It didn't come as much as a surprise to our navigator as she had previously expected; however, the fact that she was being so forward about it, was unsettling, to say the least. Taking up the Z-Buster prototype, she explained. "I… appreciate you being so up front with me about this… However, I didn't lie to you; this Buster prototype is very real; it's just that… I can't understand what I could possibly have done to make you hate me so…"

"I don't like you…" She said, once more. "It's nothing personal, I just don't."

"You just told me that you hate me…" Alia replied, fixing the Buster arm up a retractable footing. "And you expect me to… just to take your word for it? There has to be some reason for why you despise me."

"I told you, I just don't." Zero explained. "It's nothing personal, that's just the way it is. But… there's probably something you should be aware of... In the past, there's been a trend about my spotters dying in the line of duty."

Her eyes widening, Alia exclaimed. "Huh?"

"It might not be pleasant to hear, but that's a fact; each one of your predecessors met their end one way or another, while they had been assigned to oversee me." The blond hunter sighed. "I'm sure you're real nice and all that, but that's just the way it is. I don't KNOW you, and to be honest, I don't care much about you."

Indeed, she had been perfectly clear. "So what am I supposed to do with what you've just said?" She asked, fixing her subject's new weapon in place. "You just told me you don't like me, how am I supposed to pretend like you never said anything now?"

"You do your job, that's what." Zero calmly replied, as the female navigator finished locking-in her Z-Buster. "Whether it's here at the Cell or when I'm hunting Mavericks, I expect YOU... to do your job. And to be perfectly honest… I don't have to like you, to work with you."

"Well… at least, thank you for being honest with me… It won't be easy, but I'll try…" Alia answered, without the slightest bit of relief.

Getting slightly impatient with her, the blond hunter tried to retain her composure. "That's all I'm asking of you."

"… Alright, I'm just about done here, so, can you please go?" Asked the female navigator, visibly shaken.

Could it really be that simple? Just do her job despite the fact that she hated her… … …?

Certainly not…

* * *

From this point on, things didn't get any better; if anything, the tensions between Zero and her navigator culminated one evening as she and X and finished going over the last details regarding the Falcon Armor.

It was rather late and Alia seemed rather pleased with herself, though she had to acknowledge that she was getting a bit exhausted from the long hours she had poured into this project.

As they left the lab, they stopped to chat a little; when suddenly, a foreboding feeling washed over our navigator, interrupting them.

"Aw... Not again..." Deplored Alia, as she rubbed her eyes out of exhaustion.

Somewhat confused as to where that came from, X asked. "What's wrong?"

"She's glaring at me again, is she?" She responded, prompting X to slowly scan their surroundings.

"There's nobody else here..." The male hunter replied, stating the obvious.

"I'm telling you, it's getting really distracting..." The blond navigator explained. "Nevermind, I'm sorry... I should just... go. See you tomorrow."

"Good night." He answered, as Alia executed herself; leaving him to ponder just what could possibly be worrying her so.

The Maverick Hunters HQ was rather quiet at this hour, even more so than usual, given that the night shift had already begun. To some extent, X found this particular spot rather overwhelming, prompting him to retire as well.

However, on his way there, the Maverick Hunter spotted a red reploid with long blond hair across a nearby hallway.

"Zero?" He called, distantly, as he thought he recognized the female hunter.

The blond reploid stopped for little more than a step, and then resumed her march as the metallic door slid behind her.

Indeed, for some reason, there was something really unsettling tonight about the twisted maze that was the Maverick Hunters HQ; if anything, it felt emptier than it ever had...

* * *

As luck would have it, that wasn't the end of it; not by a long shot...

Indeed, despite X's past involvement with the Falcon Armor coming to an end, the Supreme Commander had made sure to keep his hunters busy; so that they wouldn't get out of shape.

Rather ironically, however, Zero had chosen this most inopportune time to finally manifest herself.

Once again, it just so happened to he had been busy looking something over with their navigator when she suddenly dropped inside and blurted out a simple. "We have to talk."

Indeed, she had been behaving rather peculiarly lately; though it wasn't nearly as obvious at this point in time, given the erratic outburst she was prone to after Final Weapon was destroyed. Still, X could tell that she was being serious and excused himself.

From there, Zero remained quiet for the most part, refusing to acknowledge his questions; despite the fact that she was forcefully dragging him somewhere against his will.

Once she was certain that they were alone, she thought. "Yes... that will do."

"So, what's up?" X asked, trying as hard as he could to hide his discomfort toward her.

"Look..." She began, rather clumsily. "I gotta talk to you about Alia..."

Given that the blue reploid hadn't been privy to their previous conversation, it wasn't very surprising for him to be startled at this sudden development. "Huh?"

"I know she told you she's been researching upgrades for the both of us, but I'm... starting to have doubts that she might have some ulterior motives." She explained.

"What do you mean?" X replied, filled with disbelief.

She answered. "I'm not entirely sure... but I think it'd be best if you kept your distances from her until I can figure out what she's up to."

It was... understandable, given their history, that the red hunter would jump to conclusions over something trivial like that. In fact, she had been the one who had first deduced Sigma's plan years ago.

But now, he wasn't entirely sure what make out of her tone. Superficially, it sounded like she was advising him out of concern for his safety; yet it sounded almost imperious in nature... like she was giving him an order...

She just wasn't making any sense now and so he began. "Zero, you're reading entirely too much into this. Alia isn't anything like Vile or Theta, just... try to calm down, alright."

"Really?" She asked, rhetorically. "You really don't get it, do you?"

The male reploid had to come to the inevitable conclusion, that he had no idea what she wanted to hear. She wasn't making any sense...

However, her facial features softened all of a sudden, taking on a turn that he had never seen before. She seemed almost... sad...

Invading his personal space just enough to make him uncomfortable, she explained. "I don't care much about this 'Being friends' charade... anymore."

Her gaze veiled by the awkwardness of the moment, as the blue maverick hunter was stricken with disbelief, the female reploid finally whispered.

"I... I don't want you to be involved with anybody else but me... ... ..."

* * *

**Author's Ramblings** :

So it's that time of the year, when I try to shake things up a little in the hope of getting out a few chapters and this story is finally getting its turn.

The core of this chapter was written somewhere in early 2010 back when I was pushing to rekindle my interest in it, but experienced some difficulties in regard to my process.

See, as my priorities shifted, I started coming up with a bunch of stuff I wanted to do; along with specific scenes that I wanted to get in. Now that's perfectly fine, since that those bits pretty much write themselves; the problem is, that those story arcs are often maintained by a very fine thread. And as such, it can be difficult to get to what you wanna do without sacrificing the integrity of the storyline.

Now as you can see, I've been adopting a more standard writing format recently, so hopefully that will take some pressure off me when it comes to publishing them. And I've got a solid plan now, so I'm pretty sure I'll be able to get some chapter outs in the not-so-distant future.

As to the actual content of this chapter, I'm not entirely sure what to say... ... ... It was something that I had been wanting to do for a while, so I'll just keep fingers crossed...

**Preview** :

"Think about it... " That's what she said; but as feelings gets in the way of our two Maverick Hunters, so does the horizon become obscured by a bright star. Will our Hunters rise up to the challenge? Or will they get consumed by the upcoming crucible?


	47. The Beginning

**Chapter 47**

The Beginning

* * *

"Think about it..."

That's what she had said; a whisper escaping her lips, as she reached out and shattered the boundaries of their friendship.

True, Zero had long remained oblivious to the male hunter's infatuation; but now... she KNEW.

Maybe it was because she was wiser, more mature; it was no secret, really, the blue reploid had already made his intentions perfectly clear... that one time after she had lost them both to Repliforce...

That's why it came as a surprise to her that he actually proved resistant to the idea.

Maybe it was timing, fear of the unknown or perhaps the situation was indeed as dire as she had feared. Perhaps her worries hadn't been misplaced; but when she pushed, the female hunter no longer had any doubts...

It wasn't ideal, but it would have to do.

She did feel a semblance of guilt about having to lead him on; truthfully, it could have been anyone, but it was simply more convenient that way.

The whole point was to stake a preemptive claim, BEFORE anyone else could sink their claws into him.

She couldn't tolerate sharing him with everyone else anymore and... … … she had needs too...

Whether or not she was trying to convince herself of that, the blue hunter was good for her. If she had to be nice, she could fake it; if she had trade certain things in exchange for that, she was perfectly willing to do so.

At least, there was one thing she knew for sure, he could never hurt her...

And she would never have to be alone again...

… … …

* * *

X had been rather... confused, recently.

Thinking back, everything that happened since Zero's confession almost felt like a dream.

He could barely muster up the interest to pay attention to all that was going on; from the now complete demilitarization of space, to that whole deal with Eurasia or even all of those successful operations they had carried out against various pockets of Mavericks recently.

Honestly, she was constantly on his mind now...

X's relationship with the female reploid had been almost everything he had imagined, though recent events had left him a little uncomfortable about the whole thing.

It was almost like she was a different person from the hunter he had known years before then. She was so serious now... as if she had almost entirely dropped the facade she used to put on back when they were just friends.

At times, she would get angry for no apparent reasons, and then apologize profusely as they made up...

It wasn't exactly news, she never really... came back from Final Weapon, or so he had been come to believe; but at times, it felt different, somehow...

There were some rumors spreading around about what was going on between the two of them, but nothing they hadn't already dealt with before.

Indeed, early on, they had agreed to keep this to themselves; after all, it was nobody else's business but their own. "At least, not now..." He had repeated to himself, half-convinced.

Yet, from where he stood now, it was all worth it.

"I've been here a lot lately." The male hunter thought, as he lay on the floor, his back resting against the regenerative bed.

As she slept gently on the mechanical contraption, he allowed himself to surrender to those vivid memories of this place; entangled by the fleeting closeness that comes from emptiness and longing.

It was always a little awkward watching her sleep... as if perhaps there was something from the back of his mind telling him that if he didn't remain vigilant, she would suddenly stop breathing...

Those impossibly long hairs, that peaceful figure...

Somehow, amidst it all, he felt out of place...

* * *

Much later, at an unspecified location, a reploid clad in indigo armor was pacing frantically within the bowels of a ruined building.

This job had been entirely too easy, so much in fact, that he suspected that his employer was probably missing a few brain cells to put up with his outrageous fee. Still, you get what you pay for, and there were no doubts in his mind that he was the best mercenary in the business.

Sadly, there was a lot of downtime associated with this assignment and he was getting really tired of waiting. So, he activated his communicator and said right out of the blue. "I'm bored!"

"So you've just said." An unidentified voice replied.

"Can I just go ahead and fire up this thing? It's not like it's gonna make any difference down the road." He asked.

"While I can appreciate your eagerness, no. We must drag this out as long as possible to ensure that everything goes according to plan." His employer answered.

"Can't I at least handle the next step? You don't really HAVE to handle this personally." The mercenary replied.

"Your time will come soon enough." Replied the voice on the other side of the communication. "Just wait a while longer."

"Are those two really that dangerous?" He asked, sarcastically.

"Yes... in a manner of speaking. In fact, I may be the only one capable of carrying out this task. I'll keep you updated... … …" And as the imperious voice died down, the communication was cut short.

"Awww... … ..."

* * *

All of a sudden, an alarm followed by a chorus of sirens went off within the Maverick Hunters Headquarter early in the morning.

Afflicted with a crippling headache, Zero attempted to pull herself together, only to be greeted by X, who was standing by her bedside.

"Something's not right..." He began, as the female reploid struggled desperately to remain awake. "I'll go ahead to the Cell; you get ready and meet me there."

Sadly, her body was reeling from exhaustion and she had little choice but to gather her gear quickly and stumble out of her room.

The Hunter Base was in complete turmoil, and it was only when the haze lifted, that the red hunter could truly grasp the seriousness of the situation.

When she finally got there, the blue reploid was nowhere to be seen and the gravity of the look on the Supreme Commander's face told her more that anyone else could have.

"Took you long enough." The Supreme Commander said, stating the obvious.

"And there I thought this was an emergency..." She replied, annoyed. "What's the situation?"

"We've received an automated distress signal from Eurasia." Signas nodded. "Our preliminary intel states that the colony's defenses and the hunters we had stationed there have been overrun by an unidentified group of Mavericks. And to make matters worse, the colony has started moving from its orbit..."

"Damn..." She exclaimed, knowing fully well the extent of the damage this could cause. "What's the plan?"

"The other hunters are already out there trying to contain the Maverick uprising; what we need to do right now is to activate the colony's fail-safe protocol in order to override its current course..." He answered.

"X has just left for the colony." Alia explained, trying to remain professional in light of the circumstances. "I'll try to get you there as fast as possible."

And so, as the ruckus intensified all around them, Zero's navigator helped her get ready for extraction. "... … … 3... 2... 1... Transfer!"

Upon re-materializing inside the colony, our heroine was immediately stricken by the confusion reigning in the area. Mavericks were rioting with impunity, as civilian vehicles desperately tried to escape the vicinity; with a number of them having already been mauled down by the ravenous robots.

"I'm sorry, the colony has become increasingly unstable, I wasn't able to transfer you to the same spot we sent X." Her navigator said over her personal communicator.

"No kidding... this place's a war zone..." The female reploid answered, as she noticed a dark green reploid brandishing a sharp piece of scrap metal in her direction.

"There's no point in dwelling upon it, he's already en-route to the objective. I'll guide you there so that you can regroup with him as soon as possible. Stay alert: I'm getting a lot of Maverick readings from this general area."

Igniting her saber as the Maverick's eyes flared up, she replied. "Got it."

What came next... Shouldn't come as any surprise...

* * *

The worst had come to pass...

He wasn't moving anymore...

With a strong feeling of foreboding grasping her heart, the female reploid had rushed to X's side after having reached the building that led to the massive statue that was housing the colony's fail-safe system.

"X!" She had called over and over, but there were no response, just silence...

"Zero! Have you found him?" Alia asked from inside her communicator.

"I have! But he's been hit hard, he's completely out!" Zero answered.

She had never seen the blue hunter in such a sorry state before; his armor was entirely battered with clear signs of struggle as burnt flesh and metal spread across his body.

After a brief silence, her navigator finally replied. "… … We're on the clock... the mission takes priority..."

However, before the female reploid could protest, a massive shock-wave traveled across the district as the faraway construct's head was shattered by a powerful detonation.

"What was that? Zero, what's going... … …" Her navigator asked, but Zero had already shut off her communicator at the sight of what emerged from the ruins.

After all the efforts she had put to try to move on, after all this mourning, the red hunter had honestly believed that she was over it. She had avenged them, she had killed him with her bare hands and that certainty alone was all that had kept her going until now.

And in less than five seconds, he had smashed it all into oblivion, simply by his continued existence.

The red hunter couldn't bring herself to believe that it was so, that very thought enraged her beyond anything she had thought herself capable of. She could hear him, laughing at her, making a mockery of everything that she had come to hold true; of everything she had to sacrifice to make it to this very moment.

Then, with a wicked smile, the large contraption of flesh and metal that the Sigma virus had merged with; revealed an intimidating cannon cannon and prepared to fire upon Zero.

The female reploid was standing right over the edge of the abyss; and with a single step, she plunged...

* * *

**Author's Ramblings : **

This is pretty much another one of those gambles of mine.

That chapter was really short... ... ... so much in fact, that only the first and last part were actually planned.

The point of this chapter, was essentially to set the tone for what's to come and hopefully, it's only gonna get better as the suspense builds up. Sure, it's a bit of a cheat, then again, Megaman X5 is pretty much the final culmination of the core of the series; so pretty much everything up until now has been in preparation for this very moment.

**Preview** :

As Zero's heart screams for justice, Eurasia is consumed by flames as the Maverick Virus spreads all across the colony.

The hunters, powerless in the face of the virus influence, are driven to desperate measures as the chain of events set in motion by Sigma threaten to engulf the world in chaos and destruction.

Will the red hunter succeeds to save both X and the colony before she loses herself in the haze of battle?


	48. Sixteen Hours

**Chapter 48**

Sixteen Hours

* * *

"By the time I'm done with you, there won't be anything left to save!" Sigma gloated, as he rammed himself through a nearby building.

But, she didn't care...

All that she could hear was the laughter and the sound of her own saber burying itself inside the nightmarish construct. Yet, as Zero clung to the masses of wires that she had torn out from his head, she still wasn't satisfied; she would tear him pieces by pieces, even if she had to do so with her bare hands.

As the colony crumbled all around them, he struggled, but the female reploid would not be denied.

With renewed anger she struck, and then... there was nothing...

It took a certain time for her to realize just what had come to pass, but in the blink of an eye, she found herself back at the Maverick Hunters' Headquarter. Everyone there stood in stunned silence, as they awaited for her to say something; but it wasn't until Alia inquired about her, that the red hunter spoke. "Zero, are you alright?"

"What the hell did you do that for?" The female reploid blurted out, visibly angered. "I had him! I just needed more time!"

"I'm sor..." Alia replied, barely letting out two syllables before being interrupted.

"It's Sigma, alright! We CAN'T let him get away!" The female reploid explained, not really making any sense.

That was when the Supreme Commander decided to step in. "Zero, that's enough!"

But the blond hunter wouldn't hear any of it, she brandished her arm cannon toward her navigator and ultimately said. "Send me back. Now!"

"It's over, Zero." Signas replied, pointing her toward a nearby screen. "Look!"

Having no real choice in matter, she looked, and what she saw was indeed more dire than anything she might have imagined. Eurasia was now entirely covered in a purple haze and slowly drifting through space as small explosions littered its inside.

Then Lifesaver, whom she hadn't noticed up until now, spoke up and explained the situation. "The level of viral hazard within the colony was rising well beyond the threshold that I would normally recommend for most reploids. Also, a massive explosion occurred inside Eurasia right after we brought you back; which kick-started the level of viral infection inside Eurasia beyond anything we have witnessed before. Truthfully, if the Commander hadn't brought you back when he did, I dare not imagine what would have happened to you."

"We've also lost signal with the colony's fail-safe system, which means that it was most likely lost along with the rest of the colony." The Supreme Commander added.

"Hmph! And where were you this whole time, while that was happening?" Zero asked, obviously referring to Lifesaver.

"I was monitoring the effects of the maverick virus inside the colony, as well as assisting Alia with dispatch." The bearded reploid answered.

"… … … Fine, I get it..." The red hunter admitted, reluctantly taking down her weapon. "It would be too risky to send anyone now, regardless of whether or not Sigma is still inside. What's our next move?"

"WE are going to try and figure out a plan to deal with this mess." Signas replied, visibly annoyed by her attitude. "YOU, are going to get yourself checked-up to make sure that the virus didn't have any adverse effect on you. Somehow, Alia managed to track down X's energy signature and brought him back, so he should also be up shortly; you'll both join us here once the Lifesavers have given you permission to leave."

"Very well." The blond reploid answered, a bit bummed, but at least demonstrating a certain understanding of the situation.

* * *

As her head cooled down, Zero was finally allowed out of the Lifesavers' care; and so, she set out to check on how X was doing.

Not so much because she was overly concerned about his health, but rather like it seemed to be what she was supposed to do. Though she would never admit it, she might have been feeling a sliver of guilt about having left him for dead out there.

If anything, a stray shot from the nightmarish contraption would have been enough to collapse the entire building and bury him under tons of rubble; a chance she probably wouldn't have taken if she had been thinking straight at the time.

The worst part about this mess, was that she was entirely helpless to do anything about it now. Eurasia had already been lost to the mavericks, and Sigma was allowed to walk freely while she was stuck here waiting for Signas to formulate some kind of plan.

At least, the blue hunter could probably shed some light over the situation, even though she might have to do some digging in order to get him to spit it out.

In the end, the Lifesavers agreed to let her in, and she found him sitting on an examination table as he, most likely, awaited his tests results.

He didn't seem in much better shape than before, but at least, he seemed OK. "Hey." The female reploid calmly greeted him.

"Hey..." X answered, obviously having done some thinking of his own.

"How are you doing?" Zero asked, trying to fake a sufficient amount of concern.

"The Lifesavers say that I'll be alright. They didn't have enough time to restore my armor in pinnacle shape, but I'm sure they'll work on it once they get the chance." The blue hunter replied. "How are you holding up?"

"I'm fine..." She answered, uncomfortable. "You gave me quite a fright out there, and it sounds like things are about to heat up again."

"Yeah..." He began. "I'm not really sure what happened out there, nobody has been willing to tell me just what was going on; and well... it doesn't really get any better than that."

"You really don't remember what happened out there?" The female reploid asked.

"Not really... I remember Sigma, and some shooting..." X tried to explain. "I honestly don't know..."

"… … Did he tell you anything?" She asked, a foreboding feeling washing all over her.

"I honestly can't say. He almost sounded like he was in a hurry... At first, I thought that he might have been there for me, or something about that evolution nonsense he's been going on about. But it seems like he may have been after very same thing that we were." He finally admitted. "For all I know, he might have been trying to do something with colony's fail-safe system."

It all made sense now, that's what Sigma had been after all along. That machine he had taken over, was the only thing preventing him from ushering the fall of Eurasia and he had manipulated her into crippling it just so that he could use it to spread the virus all over the colony. "And you, do have any idea of what's going on?" X, asked, unaware of the inner monologue that was going on inside her.

"I don't know much more than you already do..." She replied, lying. "Eurasia is lost and its too dangerous to send someone out there for fear that they might become infected with the virus; we're still waiting for the Commander to come up a plan as to what we're going to do next."

"Wow..." X whispered, as he gazed upon the ceiling.

"You know, Zero..." The blue reploid began, sounding almost serious. "If he hadn't been in such a hurry, I very well could have died out there. Mavericks, Sigma, Eurasia, it seems like things are only gonna be going to hell from now on... And... just... don't do anything stupid, alright? ... Don't die..."

The blond hunter smiled faintly, as she reached his side. Then, leaning in, she pressed her lips gently upon his cheek and said. "Take care of yourself, X..."

* * *

A few hours later, every members of the Cell were gathered together at Signas' behest, so that he could outline their plan to deal with the infected space colony.

The Supreme Commander began. "I know that you're all anxious to hear about your next assignment in regard to what happened within Eurasia. But first, I would like to make something perfectly clear... This is the first real crisis that this cell has had to deal with. We didn't see it coming and we're not entirely sure how it happened, but the fact is, that it did happen."

He then went on. "This is the kind of matter that this cell was created for and once this operation is underway, there will be no turning back. From here on, nobody backs down, nobody quits. So if you don't have the stomach for it, or have any doubts at all about your ability to pull this off, I suggest that you leave immediately."

The Supreme Commander went silent.

Despite her own apprehension regarding this situation, Zero knew that there was simply no way she could walk away from this. Eurasia, Sigma, this was all too important for her to simply walk away.

X, Alia, Lifesafer, Douglas... all of them remained there, along with everyone else that were important enough to be there.

And so, the Commander said. "Very well. Alia, take over from here."

The female navigator executed herself, proceeding to display live footage of Eurasia on the main screen before beginning. "This morning, a group of maverick terrorists have managed to overrun the space colony Eurasia and had succeeded to cripple the station's infrastructure enough so that they could divert it from its orbit."

Moving on, she explained. "Subsequently, members of this cell tried to override Eurasia's current course, but were forced to withdraw after an explosion caused the colony to become entirely infected by the maverick virus. Our calculations have revealed that the space colony is on a direct course with Earth."

Lifesaver intervened. "Needless to say, even if a direct collision could be avoided, the amount of concentrated virus currently located inside Eurasia, could spread the virus all over Earth; which would be just as bad as far as our organization is concerned."

"Indeed." Alia nodded. "So, while I hate using such metaphors, the fall of Eurasia could very much mean the end of civilization as we know it. We have no choice... For the sake of this world, that colony must be destroyed. Thank you."

And so, after the blond navigator excused herself, the Commander came back to outline the specifics of their plan. "Our current intel suggests that given the current speed at which the colony is progressing, Eurasia will come into direct collision with Earth in little more than sixteen hours."

Signas took a pause, allowing all of that information to sink in within the audience. "Now, of course, we are not going to stand idle while this is happening. However, recent pushes toward the demilitarization of space has left us with very few options in regard to how to deal with this threat." Then switching the screen to the schematics of what seemed to be some sort of laser cannon, he went on. "Our first option is 'The Enigma'. The Enigma is a bleeding-edge prototype of laser cannon, which was developed jointly with Repliforce prior to the fall of Sky Lagoon. It's a bit old by today's standards, but it was the strongest ordnance we could requisition on such short notice."

From the crowd, engineer Douglas raised his hand. "Hm, Sir? As is, the Enigma isn't going to do squat until we can get it fully operational; and while its cannon can certainly pack enough firepower to reach space and beyond, it's not with second-hand components that we'll be able to blast a colony the size of Eurasia out of the sky."

"Indeed." Signas replied. "That's why X and Zero will be assigned to retrieve the necessary parts to rebuild the Enigma from the ground up. We'll all be counting on the three of you to make it happen."

With that, Douglas fell silent and the Supreme Commander moved on. "We've also managed to get our hands on a large space shuttle, which if packed with sufficient explosives, could potentially inflict some serious damage to the colony. It is, however, not quite up to speed yet, so we'll also need some more parts before we can make use of it. However, the Enigma still remains our best option and so, we'll stick with the original plan if at all possible."

Everyone within the Cell nodded and Signas then began going over the details. "As mentioned before, X and Zero will be in charge of retrieving the various parts we'll need to put together both the Enigma and our shuttle, while Engineer Douglas will work tirelessly to make sure that our plan ultimately succeeds. Alia will oversee the operations with the both of you, while simultaneously helping me coordinate the efforts of our other hunters into the field. Every single hunter available will also assist us in this endeavor and do their best to keep the peace once this incident becomes public; as well as dealing with any maverick activities that might spark as a result of this crisis. We won't leave anything to chance, and as such, every hunter going out will have to report to a member of the Lifesaver corps so that their level of viral infection can be properly monitored. Lifesaver, in particular, will be assigned exclusively to monitor X and Zero; as well as any hunter affiliated with the retrieval effort."

The commander then concluded. "That is all people, starting right now, we have sixteen hours ahead of us to prevent Eurasia from falling. Let's make it happen!"

* * *

**Author's ramblings :**

I don't have much to add about this chapter, as I feel it is rather self-explanatory. One thing I'd like to point out however, is that I didn't quite stick to the original script as far as the Eurasia incident is concerned.

Normally, the plot revolved around Sigma's plot to get himself defeated in order to spread the maverick virus all over Earth and merge it with a special one planted inside Eurasia, thus creating a stronger strain of said virus in order to cause a chain of events that led to the series as we know it today. However, I felt that the plot was rather confusing, or rather overly complicated; issue, which this chapter is trying to address.

Overall, I like the idea of having everyone in the Crisis Cell involved, if only to reinforce the feeling of urgency that comes with the sixteen hours deadline.

Now, I'm not gonna stick too closely with the plot, as I have a couple ideas to make it more interesting; but overall, I'll try to keep it as compelling and as simple as possible.

**Preview :**

The clock is ticking, and X and Zero are constantly driven forward as Eurasia gets closer and closer to Earth.

However, our female hunter is suddenly called to Signas' office, who hand her over a special assignment, that no else can be trusted with. Trouble is brewing within the Industrial District, as the eight-legged horse prepares for its last desperate flight.


End file.
